The New Normal
by JessyRae
Summary: Three years ago he walked away and left her pregnant. Suddenly he is back and life is about to change, but can Cat accept the changes and learn to live with a new normal?
1. Chapter 1

The New Normal

Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I do not own Victorious, trust me if I did, it would not be a Nickelodeon show and Cat Valentine would actually have a few brain cells!**

"Mama!"

_RIIIING_

_BEEP!_

_**Ding-Dong!**_

Twenty-four year old Caterina Valentine was more than ready to pull her hair outl Everything in the house seemed to have all decided to go off at once! Luckily for her she had became a master at handling the every day chaos in her life.

She quickly grabbed her cell phone off the charger by the couch, groaning when she realized it was her boss, yet again. After hitting the 'talk' button she pressed it to her hear and began listening to the long drone of the sevenity five year old blind woman about her own life's problems. _As if I have time for your problems! _She thought miserably, but Miss Hodges paid well and Cat wasn't one to complain so she muttered 'Yes' and 'I can't believe he did that!' at all of the right moments.

Next she ran to the door and opened it for her best friend Jade West-Harris and her family, she made a motion for them to come inside then darted off for the back bedroom where her son was still screaming for her.

Just as she reached the door she told the every long winded Miss Hodges that she needed to go and hung up. She opened the door and put her hands on her hips.

"Carter Beckett Oliver!" She exclaimed in mock anger. The small boy in the crib immediately stopped his attempts to get out of his crib, he looked at his mother, his chubby face broke into a grin.

"Hi Mama." He said brightly.

As try as she might, Cat could not keep a grin from appearing on her own face. She stepped forward and lifted the naked child from his bed.

"Carter, baby, where are your clothes?" She asked, as if she didn't see the small pile of clothes and Carter's diaper on the floor in front of his cherry wood crib.

The boy looked at the clothes, then back to Cat. "I onno, Mama." he shrugged his tiny shoulders.

"Did someone steal them?"

He nodded seriously. "Stoled dem. Bye-Bye twoles."

Cat giggled as her son's innocence. "Well, I guess Mama will just have to find you some new ones."

Carter leaned forward and placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "Fanks, Mommy, I wove you."

A lump formed in her throat as she whispered that she loved him too. Honestly, she could not imagine life without the tiny boy.

Quickly, she grabbed the first clean, matching outfit she could find from his dresser, as well as a new diaper.

"No! No diappy!" he whined, Cat sighed. Potty training was going well, but not well enough that the two-year old could go for any length of time without his trust diaper.

"Not, today, baby." She told him.

His bottom lip began to tremble and his mother could feel the impending tantrum coming on.

"Carter." She warned firmly. His tear filled brown eyes snapped up to meet hers. "No, we have to wear a diaper, just until we have no more accidents."

His lip continued to quiver, a sharp image of his father doing the exact same thing flashed through her mind. She chased it away with a quick shake of her head, now was not the time.

"Did you hear that?" She gasped, it was her last ditch effort at stopping the tantrum before it began.

Carter stopped and listened hard. "What Mama," he asked.

"I think Logan is here!" Cat whispered in a conspiratorial voice. She knew Jade's five year old son was one of Carter's favorite people.

"Wogan!" he scrambled to get out of Cat's arms.

She struggled to keep the a hold on the squirming little boy. "Wait! Wait!" She said between laughs. "You have to get dressed! We can't have anyone seeing you naked!"

Finally the boy was dressed in an orange polo and plaid golf shorts that set off his naturally tan skin perfectly.

The two made their way down the hall and into the living room where Jade, Andre and little Logan were waiting.

"Wogan!" Carter squealed as he caught sight of his best friend. Immediately the two were at Carter's toy box and playing fire engine.

"Those two are quite the pair." Jade mused with a laugh as the boys went from getting along to fighting over a fire truck. "Just like you and I used to be Cat!"

"Only you painted all my dresses black with spray paint and decapitated all of my Barbies." Cat teased.

The girls broke into a fit of giggles. "Good times, Kitty-Cat."

"I love you Jade, but I hope my daughter does not take after her Mama." Andre interuppted as he rubbed Jade's swollen stomach. She was currently five months pregnant with her second child and last week they found out it was going to be the couple's first daughter.

The adults laughed at the idea of a mini Jade running around terrorizing all those who dared cross her. Andre leaned in and pressed a kiss to his wife's lips.

"Okay, okay," Cat announced, "Enough Mushy Gushy stuff! We have an open house to get to!"

Logan abandoned his quest for the green fire engine and jumped up. "Yes! I am so excited to go to Hollywood Arts!"

The Hollywood Arts had recently began a series of magnet schools forcusing on the musical arts from the very beginning. Logan was set to start when the school opened in a week. Tonight families would get the first peak at the kindergarten center of the school. Cat, herself, was tagging along for Logan, of course, as well as to scope out the school Carter would be attending in a couple years.

"Alright Lil' Man, let's get to that school!" Andre lifted his son into his arms and kissed his forehead. "You are going to be an amazing performer in a few years, just like Mama, right buddy?"

"Right, Daddy!"

Cat stole a glance at her own son. He sat, surrounded by his toys, staring at Andre and Logan with a confused look on his face. Though he had never asked about his father, he always took an interest in watching other young boys and their father's. She knew she only had a matter of time before the questions began. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Jade carefully watching her, as if she were expecting some sort of breakdown. She turned and gave the other woman a weak smile, one Jade only halfheartedly returned.

An hour later the five were at the newly constructed Hollywood Arts Kinder Center. The entire building was a bit much to take in with all of the overwhelming splashes of color all over the place.

"My eyes are burning." Jade muttered as she entered the kaleidoscope of colors behind Cat and Andre.

"It's awesome! Dad, look, it's a dancing lobster!" Logan pointed to a mural on the far wall depicting a bright red lobster dancing with an oversized panda bear.

"Yeah, good thing none of us are epileptic." Jade muttered darkly as she moved to pick up one of the brightly colored maps of the Kinder Center.

Cat chuckled softly as she shifted Carter higher on her hip, the boy wanted to get down and run with Logan, but Cat, being the protective mother she was, didn't want him to get lost in the crowd.

"Greetings parents of the tiny humans!" A familiar voice called over the voices of the crowd.

The three friends looked at one another. "It can't be!" Jade grumbled.

"Sikowtz!" Cat squealed.

"Welcome to the open house for the Hollywood Arts Kinder Center!" Sikowtz called to the crowd. "I am your pricipal slash acting coach Mister Sikowitz!"

"Oh hell no!" Jade whispered, she glared at Andre as if this were somehow his fault.

"Mama! You said a bad word!" Logan hissed. "Listen to the hobo!"

"Now, I must tell you that this is going to be a very exciting year and all of our teachers here, including myself, are more than overjoyed to be apart in the the molding of your young children's minds!" Sikowitz leaned forward seriously. "Now, if any of you have seen my coconut, would you please inform me? I seem to have lost it!" He took a deep drink from the straw in the coconut in his hands. All the children roared with laughter.

Mom, he's funny!" Logan pulled on the hem of Jade's top.

"Hilarious, Andre, can you believe this?" the pregnant woman ranted.

"Calm down Jadey, you know Sikowitz was one of our favorite teachers." Cat teased. She burst into a fit of giggles when her best friend glared.

"Okay, this is cool and all, but I wanna see my classes and say hi to the hobo!" Logan whined.

Andre took off with the boy, leaving the rest of their little group in silence.

"I got another check today." Cat told Jade, she had been waiting for the opportunity to confide in her friend without her husband around. Not that he wasn't her friend as well, but the subject tended to upset him.

"What are you going to do?" Jade asked as they made their way to follow Andre and Logan.

"I'm not cashing it, if that is what you mean." Cat replied shortly.

Jade stopped and looked at her friend, who subconsiously pulled Carter tighter. "Cat, I understand you want to do this on your own, but you need help."

The former redhead's eyes filled with tears. "What's that supposed to mean!" She snapped. "I do not!"

The taller girl softened, she understood how senstive Cat was about the subject of Carter's father. "Andre." She took her godson from his mother and handed him to her husband. "WE need to hit the ladies room."

Andre gave Cat a long look, she begged him silently to say nothing. She knew Jade would explain everything later. She felt Jade grab her arm and lead her to the surprisingly empty women's restrooom.

"Cat, you need help!" She started in. "You and Carter are struggling!"

Cat was horrified at her friend's brutal honesty, though she knew she sould expect no less from Jade West-Harris.

"You barely make ends meet!"

"I am a good mother!" Cat cried, she was on the verge of hysterics.

Jade softened at once, she pulled her best friend into her arms and allowed her to cry on her shoulder. "Honey, I hate to see you like this! Would it be so terrible if you accepted some of his help?" She rubbed Cat's shuddering shoulders. "You are an amazing mother, there is no happier kid than Carter, but you are spreading yourself too thin."

Cat pulled away and sniffled. She looed at her best friend, her mind was racing.

Would it be so bad if she accepted help from Carter's father? Surely he wouldn't see that as an open invtation back into their lives, right?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N at the bottom!**

The New Normal

Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: Victorious I own not.**

A month after the open house Cat still hadn't cashed the check. She just couldn't bring herself to go down to the bank. The day rent was due she battled with her decision but her stubborn streak won out. Like always, she somehow managed to scrape the money together. So, much to her own chagrin, she gave her rent to her landlord two days late. He said nothing, only gave her a disapproving stare, somehow, that was much worse.

"Mommy?" Carter's sweet voice broke through her thoughts.

She looked up from her number crunching and smiled at the small boy. He hovered in the doorway for a moment, quietly shuffling from one Superman clad houseshoe covered foot to the other. "Hi Baby, is everything okay?"

He walked the length of the room and raised his arms to be held. Cat smiled as she lifted her baby boy into her lap. She breathed deep the scent of his baby shampoo and lavender lotion she always put on him before bedtime.

Getting comfortable, he burrowed his head deep into her chest and his little thumb made it's way to his mouth. She knew the habit needed to be broken, but it was adorable and something the boy only did when he was nervous or afraid. "Carter wove Mommy." He whispered.

The onetime redhead dropped a kiss on his tiny forehead and brushed away his messy mop of brown hair. "Mommy loves Carter." He gave a giggle at the game they played.

She said nothing as he began to trace the pattern of her shirt silently, these were the moments she lived for. When she was with her son money didn't matter, all her troubles were gone. The only two people in the world were her and Carter.

"Did you have a good day?" She asked, she knew something was bothering him, he had been oddly distant all evening, well as distant as any two year old could be, but she knew not to press it; he would come out with it sooner or later, in his own way. Her eyes went back to the jumble of numbers that were the monthly budget that never seemed to balance. She glared at the screen of the laptop in front of her.

The computer had been a gift from her parents on Christmas the year before, otherwise she couldn't afford to have one of her own. It was expensive and much higher tech than the single mother needed, but she managed with the simple processes. There had been a few times she seriously considered selling the machine for a little extra money to the day to day expenses. The thought embarrassed her, especially if her parents ever asked questions, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

She felt Carter pull away from her slightly, his own brown eyes focused on the glowing screen. "Mommy?" His gaze shifted to her face.

Cat couldn't stop the way her heart fluttered every time the boy looked at her like that, he looked so much like his father. She scrunched up her nose and smiled at him. "Yes, baby?"

"Where my daddy?" He asked simply, innocently.

The smile dropped from her face and her heart skipped a beat for real. "Wh-What?" She stuttered, the boy repeated the question. "Where did that come from, baby?"

"Tool." Carter replied nervously, as if he felt he had done something wrong. "Daddy Day."

Inwardly, Cat groaned, all this time she avoided the 'Daddy' question and it was all thrown out the window after one day at daycare. Didn't they usually send notes out about that sort of thing? Of course she was usually too busy to read half of them.

"Do Carwer has one?" the boy asked, he could sense his mother's discomfort and had taken to playing with his stuffed giraffe he always carried around.

Cat stared down at her son, she was at a loss at what to say. Of course Carter had one! Of course he was too young to understand that everyone had one and his was simply too pigheaded and stupid to be in his life. "Y-Yes." She stuttered. "Carter has one." She braced herself for more questions that she was not currently, or would ever be for that fact, ready for.

Carter's face broke into a wide smile. He kissed his mother's cheek. "Tuddle time!" he jumped off her lap and beckoned for her to follow.

She let out the breath she didn't know she was holding and smiled. She thanked heaven to the short attention span of a two year old. "Cuddle time!" the woman closed the computer in front of her and followed her son to his room.

'Cuddle time' was the time of Cat set aside each night to sit wit her son in the rocking chair and read, talk, sing, and most of all: Cuddle. It was her favorite time of the day, and no matter how horrible her day had gone it never failed to brighten it.

She reached his bedroom and saw him patiently waiting in front of the rocker. "What are we doing tonight Bucket?" She asked, using her own person nickname for her son. He had been unable to say his middle name and it always came out pronounced as 'Bucket,' she found it endearing and coined the name.

Carter tapped his tiny chin with his finger as if in deep thought. His eyes darted around the room before a bright smile covered his face. "Sing?" he asked hopefully.

Cat giggled at his antics, he was such a comedic and adorable child, she couldn't help but think he had the makings of an actor in him; like his father.

She feigned surprise as she asked "Sing?" If her son had it his way the whole world would sing rather than speak.

She suddenly rushed the boy and lifted him into the air. His delirious, childish giggles of delight filled her ears and warmed her heart. Her baby was so perfect.

Making the whooshing sound of an airplane she flew him over to the rocker and sat both of them down.

"What are we going to sing tonight, Bucket?" she whispered, his eyes were already getting heavy as he fought his losing battle with sleep. She knew he would hold on for at least one song, he always did.

Carter reached over the edge of the chair and pulled his worn teddy bear into his lap. "Teddy Bear." He told her.

Cat smiled to herself, 'Baby Bear was a song she had been sung when she was young. Her mother had made it for her and her brother when they received teddy bears one Christmas. When Carter was born he inherited the bear as well as the song, it had become one of his favorites.

Before beginging her song she wrapped a green fleece blanket that Jade had made when Carter was born around the two of them and pulled feet into the chair. The toddler laid his head on her chest, one thumb in his mouth, the other had holding tightly to his bear.

"Okay, Baby Bear, here we go" She whispered before singing.

"_Oh Baby Bear, My Baby Bear  
Soft fur of Gold and amber  
You're in my heart, You're in my care  
A tender love is what we share  
Chocolate patches on his face  
The Kisses I have put in place  
Oh Baby Bear, My Baby Bear  
Soft fur of Gold and amber_

Oh Baby Bear, My Baby Bear  
We'll always be together  
This special bond I'm bound to you  
Our friendship lasts forever  
I will take you everywhere  
Because you are my teddy bear  
Oh Baby Bear, My Baby Bear  
We'll always be together

Oh Baby Bear, My Baby Bear  
My fluffy little treasure  
Enjoy the time we have to share  
In life's big adventure  
My special friend you've always been  
I can tell you anything  
Oh Baby Bear, My Baby bear  
Soft fur of Gold and amber

Oh Baby Bear, My Baby Bear  
My friend my soul companion  
Always loyal, Always true  
So happy when I'm with you  
Everything in life I share  
Except of course my teddy bear  
Oh Baby Bear, My Baby Bear  
We'll always be together"

By the time she finished the song the boy had drifted off to sleep, his thumb slipped out of his mouth and he curled tighter into this mother. Not wanting to stop the moment, she began to song again and again, tears filled her eyes.

She thought about all the people who told her that keeping the precious little boy in her lap and giving up all of her big Hollywood career dreams had been the biggest mistake her life. They were so wrong; sure the bills piled up and she stressed over every penny, but the moments she spent in that rocking chair with her son made every mountain look like a tiny insignificant grain of sand.

**A/N Thank you for reading this chapter, as well as the first. I am really holding high hopes for this story and I love sitting and planning out the chapters. (I battled with myself over the lullaby that Cat would sing for Carter, but I thought Baby Bear would be the best, I hope you enjoyed it!) **

**In the next chapter I will most likely be bringing Carter's father into the story, if you haven't already figured out who he is! This chapter was just to kind of show how Cat and Carter interact and show how things are in the little families 'current normal'**

**Also I would like to thank my one reviewer for the first chapter. ****HopeFaithandGrace, thank you so much and I am glad you enjoyed it!**

**Oh and the kid in the picture is my idea of Carter! Sorry it's not bigger!**

**Review and tell me your comments and thoughts on this story! **

**Hope you love it! **

**Jessy **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N at the bottom!**

The New Normal

Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: Victorious I own not.**

Chapter Three

"Jade I don't know." Cat muttered into her cell phone as she pushed her shopping cart up and down various aisles.

"Come ON, Cat!" Jade whined. "I am six months pregnant! My ankles are the size of watermelons, and my back hurts, please!"

Cat moved her nearly empty cart out of the way of a passing motorized shopping cart and groaned inwardly. She couldn't believe Jade was playing the pregnancy card. She had so much to do this evening and the other woman was trying to rope her into this. On second thought, she could believe it, Jade had been playing the pregnancy card before she was even certain she was pregnant!

"I guess, but you owe me!" She consented finally.

The former goth squealed a thank you, pregnancy had defiantly messed with her head. "Andre will pick you and Carter up at six!"

"Okay, but I still don't understand why I have to go to you son's parent teacher conference with your husband. People are going to think we are a couple!" Cat continued her trek down the busy supermarket, it was always such a chore shopping for her picky son.

She smiled when she heard Jade snicker through the phone. "You have one mixed child and one Lilly white one, that would be an interesting conversation. Besides, Andre is never good at listening in those parent teacher things. And I can't have him bringing home the wrong kid again."

Cat giggled at the memory of the time Andre brought a little girl home from daycare instead of his son. "Well, you could have already had that little girl you always wanted and we wouldn't be in this position!" She teased.

Jade retorted something, but the brunette did not hear her. She had reached up for a box of gluten free cereal when her eyes caught those of another shopper. He heart seized in her chest and she felt like she could breathe.

"Cat? Cat!" she could hear Jade yelling into the phone.

Across the store, the man dropped what he had been holding and began walking towards her. She couldn't believe he was here.

"I- I have to go!" She told Jade as she promptly ended the call.

He was getting close, she had nowhere to run. The aisle around her was full and there was no way her cart could maneuver through the crowd. In a last ditch effort to escape the man approaching her, she grabbed her purse out of the cart and fled; ignoring the stares of her fellow shoppers.

Somehow she made it to her car. She slammed the door and locked it before putting her shaking hands on the steering wheel and exhaling the breath she did not know she was holding.

Why was he back? Was their run in just a coincidence? Surely it was, how could he have possibly have know she would be shopping there today? After all, he looked just as shock when he saw her as she felt.

All she could think about was at least she hadn't brought Carter shopping with her today.

Looking at the clock, she realized she had somehow sat there for ten minutes and it was almost time to pick Carter up from daycare. She took a few deep breaths and started the car. Once she arrived at the child care center, she took a dew deep breaths to compose herself, she couldn't have her son seeing her like this and asking questions.

Inside the Hollywood Hills Day Play Cat found her son sitting alone in the corner. His chubby legs swung to and fro as he glared at the other children.

"Hello Miss Valentine." Carter's teacher, Sarah, greeted.

"It's Cat, Sarah," the shorter girl reminded for what had to be the hundredth time. "What's going on?" She motioned to her pouting son. It was very unusual for Carter to get into trouble, mostly because he was always playing by himself.

"Well," the educator replied, "It seems Carter has taken to hitting the other children instead of using his words."

Cat gasped, her son had hit another child?

Sarah put a reassuring hand on the distraught mother's shoulder. "Cat, this happens, it's just a phase. You just need to keep an eye on him and not reenforce his bad behaviors."

Cat nodded miserably. She couldn't get over the fact that her son had hit someone, she had always striven to teach him that violence was never the answer, he wasn't even allowed to watch television! Somehow, she couldn't help but feel like a bad mother and that this was somehow her fault. Had she not spent enough time with her son?

"I will work with him here." Sarah assured. "You just handle the stuff at home, don't worry, you are a great mother."

Cat was thankful for the teacher's reassurance. A single mother needed stuff like that every once in a while. She turned to face her son, he caught her eye and looked away.

"Go easy on him Mom." she heard Sarah say as she crossed the room to the boy.

"Hi, Mommy." he greeted innocently. "I misseded you."

She had a hard time keeping a smile off her face, but somehow she kept her straight face. "I heard you got in trouble today." She leaned down to his level.

Carter took a deep breath and launched into a story about how it wasn't his fault. If Cat hadn't been his mother and spent every day with the boy, she would have never been able to understand half of what he had to say.

"Okay," she said evenly when he was finally finished. "I understand that Kaela took your toy, but we don't hit people, understand?"

He bowed his head and nodded. "I sowwy."

"Come here Bucket and hug your Mommy. I missed you."

His face broke into a huge smile as he jumped off the chair and threw his arms around her neck.

Later that evening, after she had called Jade back and explained what had happened at the market, Carter and Cat were waiting on Andre.

"He's wait." Carter grumbled. He was so excited to see Logan again, the Harris boy was the only child Carter seemed to get along with.

Cat giggled at the boy, he was never one for patience.

Finally, the Harris men arrived and they were off.

"I can't wait for you to meet my acting teacher!" Logan prattled on about his teachers, friends and experiences at the Kinder Center, Carter, naturally, hung onto every word.

"Sikowitz? Yeah we know him." Cat told the boy but he shook his head.

"The hobo never comes to class! So we have Mister O. He is so cool! He was in a real movie!" Logan exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah," Andre asked. "Which one Lil' Man?" He had been hearing about the famous Mister O for weeks.

The boy blushed. "He said we weren't allowed to watch it until we were big, like you and Aunt Cat."

Once they arrived at the school Andre groaned. "Damn! We should have come earlier! This place is packed!"

"Bad word!" Logan screeched. "That's a quarter for the cuss police!" the boy hooted with laughter as his father fished a coin out of his pocket and handed it to him.

"Kid is an extortionist." the father grumbled as they filed inside.

The school was packed, obviously everyone thought 6:30 was a good time to come for the conferences. They took a number and sat down.

"Can we go to Mister O's room?" Logan begged.

Andre pinched the bridge of his nose. "f it will get you to stop talking about him like he is some kind of Greek God, then sure!" he stood. "Let's go little man."

"Come on Aunt Cat! You and Carter hafta see this!"

The group maneuvered themselves down the hall towards the room of the famous Mister O. Logan babbled the entire time, Carter had to practically run on his chubby legs to keep up with the skipping kindergartener.

"I bet this dude is some middle aged bald dude who still lives at home with his mother." the man muttered under his breath, causing Cat to giggle.

They reached a room decorated much like the old Black Box Theater at the Hollywood Arts High School. Mister O was nowhere to be seen.

"Is he even real?" Andre asked his son, who glared.

The boy stomped his foot. "He is! Mister O! Hello!"

Carter looked around the for for the mysterious man, he didn't quite understand what was going on, was the man playing hide and seek? He was just about to ask his mother when a figure stepped out from behind the curtain and all the adults gasped.

"C-Cat? Andre?" The man asked, he looked down at Carter and froze. "Is-Is that?"

Cat grabbed her son and pulled him close. She shielded the boy from the man. Carter squirmed but her grip was iron clad.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Andre growled, he too pulled his shocked child into his arms.

"Beck?" was all Cat could whimper, her body and mind were in shock.

"I..." Beck began, but he couldn't take his eyes off the boy. "I have a son?"

Cat felt lightheaded, none of this was supposed to happen this way! Beck was not supposed to come back into her life! He most certainly was not supposed to see Carter!

At some point her eyes locked with his, she couldn't help but feel a familiar sense of longing. _No! Cat don't you remember what he did? _She silently told herself.

"Andre, can you take him?" She was surprised he voice was still so steady.

"Cat." Andre warned.

She gave him a pleading look. Carter did not need to see his, and she could no long run from it. "Please. Take. Him." She ground out, she didn't want Beck hearing his name. It was stupid, but it was some small power she needed to hold on to.

When the man went to take they boy from his mother he burst into sobs. "Mommy, NO!" he screamed, he could sense the tension and was having none of it. "No Dre, Mommy!"

She could feel tears forming in her eyes as her son screamed. But she had to hand him over, the boy needed to be far away from the impending conversation.

"Andre, please, take him, go home." She begged, finally the two adults were able to pull the boy away from his mother.

"What about you? How will you get home," he asked, his eyes flickered over to Beck. Carter continued to sob as Logan tried to comfort him but he too was confused and overwhelmed. Cat wished Jade was here.

"I will catch a cab, please go." She whispered, she gave the boy a kiss on the forehead and watched Andre carry both boys out of the room. The moment his screams for his mother faded away she rounded on Beck.

"Don't you dare go after him." She growled, her voice was full of malice.

Beck gave her a hard look, his eyes traveled up and down her body as if sizing her up. "What happened to you Cat?"

Her brown eyes glinted with anger as she glared at him. "You left _me, _remember? I had to grow up pretty fast."

He made a step forward, she mirrored it with her own step back. His arm raised as if to touch her arm.

"Don't" she warned.

The hand hovered for a moment, then fell. "Tell me his name. Please? Don't I deserve at least that?"

She opened her mouth to tell him that he deserved nothing, but she stopped herself. Did he deserve to at least know his son's name? After all, he did help create him, even if he wasn't there for any of his life thus far.

"Car-Carter." She stuttered.

Beck smile. "Carter? Carter Oli-" She cut him off.

"Valentine."

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace and ShadowHeart2739. You guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! **

**I hope this chapter wasn't too boring but I was ready for Beck to come back. More will be up soon!**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	4. Chapter 4

**You lucky dogs! I am giving you another chapter!**

**A/N at the bottom!**

The New Normal

Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious because I am not Dan S**_**chneider**_

Chapter Four

_Beck smile. "Carter? Carter Oli-" She cut him off._

"_Valentine."_

Cat and Beck stood staring at one another. Neither made a sound nor moved an inch. For a long time Cat considered making a break for it and forgetting this ever happened. She knew the idea was foolish and would never work.

"Valentine?" Beck murmured, mostly to himself. He could not say that he blamed her, but it still stung nonetheless.

Cat nodded nervously, she wasn't sure he wouldn't just lash out at her all the sudden.

The twenty-four year old man hung his head in shame. "I understand, Cat." He said finally. He could not blame her for her decision. "Can I meet him?"

He watched as the woman he once loved tensed. For a moment she looked as if she were actually considering her question, then her face harden in a mask of anger.

"No."

Beck was suddenly angry. "You can't keep him from me Cat!" he spat. "I have rights to him!"

She moved forward and poked his chest with her tiny finger. "Rights?" She yelled shrilly. "Rights? What the fuck rights do you have, Beck? Where have you been for the passed few years? Can you even tell me his full name? His birthday? Explain to me your rights!"

Beck was shocked at her outburst, he had never known Caterina Valentine to act like this. He wanted to say nothing but his next sentence spilled from his mouth. "He is my son."

"Could have fooled me." She returned. Their faces were inches from one another.

"I can take you to court." he told her, he didn't mean for it to come out, but in the heat of the moment it spilled out and he couldn't take it back.

Cat's eyes widened in horror and she couldn't stop herself from slapping him across the face. "You are not taking my son! You are not taking my son!" She repeated over and over.

Beck held his rapidly reddening cheek. He was angry for a moment then he looked at the woman before him. Her brown eyes had filled with tears and terror, she kept murmuring the sentence repeatedly to herself. He knew he had struck a deep-running nerve.

"Cat?" He said softly, he reached over to touch her arm, she flinched at the contact.

"You can't take him!" She looked at Beck, his heart broke in his chest. He pulled her into his arms and rubbed her back in a soothing manner.

"I won't, I promise." He told her soothingly. "I just want to see him, I need to see him. You can't keep him from me."

She realized their position and pulled away quickly. "I am his _mother_, Beck. I say where he goes and who he sees." She felt another surge of anger burst inside of her, she was not going down without a fight.

Beck glared at her, why did she have to be so difficult? "Cat, please, stop this!"

She gasped at his stupidity. "Are you serious?" She ground out. "Beck, where have you been for the last few years? I think I remember seeing you on a few magazine covers and not renting a few B-rated movies of yours."

He refused to take the bait when she insulted his movies. "I wasn't ready, Cat!"

A scoff escaped her mouth as she moved away from him and sat on one of the chairs in the room. "That is so funny, Beck. Do you honestly think I was ready? I was twenty-one and terrified, you _left_ me alone! Do you know how hard my pregnancy was? Do you know I almost lost him?"

Beck's mouth fell open, he was about to say something when she continued.

"I sat in my room for months with no support or love."

"Your family, Jade..."

"No support from the one person who was supposed to be there Beck! You were supposed to be my partner in this! Instead I sat in a hospital room all by myself and had a baby two months early! We both nearly died!"

Beck was nearly in tears as she told him about almost dying after her placenta ruptured and how Carter was born blue and not breathing. How could he have left her like that? He thought back to the months after he left, at the time of his son's birth he would have been in Africa filming his first movie.

"Do you understand how embarrassing it is to explain to your landlord nearly ever single month why you can't pay your rent on time?"

"The checks?" He tried lamely.

Her glare deepened. "The checks? Honestly, Beck, I burned every one of them. I did not want your money if I would not have you." She could feel her eyes getting wet once again.

She looked up and into his brown eyes, Carter's eyes, she could see his pain and the slightest hint of longing in them.

"I don't know how many times and ways I can tell you this, but I am truly, deeply, sorry for what I have done to you and our son." He closed the gap between them, this time she allowed his arms to encircle her and together they began to sob.

After a long time she pulled away. "Beck, I..." She was cut off by his lips softly covering her own. The kiss was soft, his lips were salty with his tears. In a sudden moment one of them deepened it, it became passionate and full of the pent up longing they had held for one another over the passed three years.

Cat pulled away breathless. "Beck" Her voice was husky.

He studied her face, her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen from the kiss, her breath came in short pants, her eyes were half closed in her need for him; he had never seen her look more beautiful. His lips captured hers once again.

Somewhere, deep in the back of her mind, she knew she should not be giving in, but after all this time, after all these years of wanting Beck back, she finally had him. This time, there was no stopping it.

Nearly an hour later Cat Valentine found herself on the floor of Beck's office. She honestly did not remember coming in here, she thought he might have carried her but she wasn't sure. She looked down at her body and was embarrassed to find herself completely naked, how could she have let this happen?

She looked up at Beck and saw him rummaging around for his pants, her eyes lingered on the contours of his body before she tore her eyes away and went after her own clothes.

"I can't believe I did this!" She cursed herself out loud, he looked over at her as she tossed her shirt over her head.

"Cat?" He asked nervously, he wasn't sure if she was going to kill him or not. He too knew what they had done had been wrong, but he could not find it in him to regret it.

Her eyes snapped to his face and her cheeks flushed scarlett. "Beck, we shouldn't have done that!" She said firmly.

He closed the gap between them but she wiggled out of his grasp and zipped her jeans.

"No! I cannot do this again!" She cried, "I can't believe I let my emotions get the better of me!"

He was wounded, but he understood. "Cat, please, don't shut me out." He reached out and took her small hand in his large one. She turned to face him. "Please, Cat."

She closed her eyes and exhaled. "Don't do this to me Beck."

He kissed the hand in his grasp gently. "Cat." She cut him off.

"Please, Beck, let's just forget this ever happened." She whispered in the darkness of the room. "I will let you see Carter, but you and I are never happening, understand?"

In that moment Beck Oliver was torn between the woman that he obviously still loved and the son he hadn't had the chance to meet yet. She was making him choose one over the other. And when he thought about it he wasn't even getting that, there was no way she would allow him to choose her, she was freezing him out.

"Are you serious?" He whispered, he wanted to see his son more than anything, well besides to see her and Carter and be a family.

She nodded. "Yes, I will let you see him, but we are going to go slow, like snail pace."

He nodded vigorously, he was certainly in no position to argue with the petite woman.

She gave him a tight smile and slipped her feet into her flat and tossed her purse over her shoulder. "This weekend then." She began to walk out of the room.

"Let me give you a ride."

"I will manage on my own Beck. Just because I am allowing you to see my son doesn't mean we are friends." She said sharply as she walked out of the room.

He stared long after her petite form had disappeared. Was he sure of what he was getting himself into?

**I hope you all liked this chapter, it is not my favorite and I feel like it was a bit, can I say unrealistic? **

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; xxRAINBOWunicornsXX;TheDreamer006 and ec4lewis. You guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! And I also want to thank those who followed/favorited this story! You are all amazing! :)**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	5. Chapter 5

**I hope this chapter isn't too boring!**

**A/N at the bottom!**

The New Normal

Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious because I am not Dan S**_**chneider**_

Chapter Five

The weekend had finally arrived and Cat could not stop stressing. Why had she ever agreed to this? She should have just listened to Jade and Andre and canceled.

She had yet to tell Carter, but how did you explain it to a two year old? He was just too young to understand the strange ways of grownups.

That was not to say that the boy had not caught on that something was going on. The child had always had a keen sense for seeing when his mother was in distress. He asked questions, she brushed them off with kisses and distractions.

Saturday morning she was up two hours before her alarm, she groaned and rolled over, nearly crushing the tiny body who had crawled into the bed at some point during the night. She gazed down at him in the dim glow coming from the hall light that she always left one for his sake. He was beautiful.

In his sleep he looked so much like his father. The only physical feature of hers that he possessed were her big does eyes; everything else was all Beck. Sometimes it hurt to look at him. Silently she brushed a stray lock of hair out of his face and dropped a kiss on his forehead.

She prayed she was making the right choice for the boy. His life had already been rough sand the last thing she needed was for Beck to ruin their moment of happiness.

After a while she realized sleep was out of the question. She quietly detangled Carter's limbs from her body and crawled out of the bed. She stretched and covered her feet in her holey house shoes, she had been meaning to buy a new pair but something always came first. After making sure Carter would be unable to to roll off the bed, she left her bedroom.

"I might as well clean up." She told herself aloud as she surveyed the toy covered living room. Carter was certainly a messy child and not lacking in the toy department, mostly due to his Aunt Jade and grandparents. She decided to let Beck take credit for his messiness.

She moved through the room, quietly trying to pick up the toys without setting any off. She fail miserably. Each time one went off she would freeze and wait for Carter to call for her; he never did.

After the room was spotless, at least until the toddler came and destroyed it again, she decided to go ahead and get her shower out of the way. As she undressed in the small bathroom, she caught sight of her brown hair in the mirror. For the first time in a long time she missed her red velvet hair.

It had faded during her pregnancy, due to her being unable to dye it. Then, after Carter's birth, it seemed childish and stupid, not to mention it reminded her too much of Beck. She sighed and ran a hand through the brown locks, sometimes she missed her ditzy old self. Everything had been so much simpler then.

"Mommy?" Carter's voice broke through her thoughts later as the two of them ate breakfast, or he at and she chugged coffee, another taste she had acquired after becoming a mother.

She broke out of her thoughts and smiled at the young boy. "Yes, baby?"

"What wrong?" he asked between bites of his gluten-free Chex cereal.

Cat smiled at her boy, he had always been such a caring child. "Someone is coming to see you today." She finally told him, she wished she could still put it off but time had caught up with her.

The young boy's eyes lit up. "Wogan?" he asked excitedly.

She shook her head. "No, he is an old friend of Mommy's, he wants to come play with you."

Carter made a face. "Will you be there?" his little eyes were worried and filling with tears.

She quickly lifted him into her lap and kissed his temple. "Of course, baby, Mommy won't leave you with some stranger."

It hurt her to call Carter's father a stranger, but it was the truth. He had never met the boy.

Carter's eyes went bright again. "Okay, Mommy." he wiggled off her lap and went to his toys. Than the lord for toddlers' short attention spans.

Two hours later Beck was set to arrive any moment. Carter was avoiding his mother after she nervousness got the better of her and she had snapped at him for pulling ever toy out of his box. Cat had cleaned everything in sight, but it was still not enough. She felt embarrassed by her tiny, homey apartment. Beck was probably used to mansions.

When the doorbell rang she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Stay there, baby," She told the boy. She needed to speak with Beck first.

She ran to the door and opened it to see Beck holding a huge wrapped present and a dozen red roses. She could feel her cheeks heat up as she held the flowers out to her. "You really shouldn't have." She told him drily, but she took the flowers anyway.

"So, is he in there?" Beck asked, he made a move towards the living room, Cat caught his arm.

"Wait! What is your plan? He doesn't know who you are!" She hissed quietly. "What have to take this slow."

He stood there, he wanted nothing more than to rush into the other room and grab the boy, but he understood, he would get nowhere if he frightened him.

"We aren't going to tell him who you are, you are just Beck, got it?" She told him, his eyes widened in shock.

"What? Cat!" He yelled, she slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shh! You have to understand. I can't have you telling him who you are and then leaving again.."

That hurt. "I wouldn't." He said with conviction.

"You said that before." She retorted. "Now either you go along with me or you leave, your choice. I have to put these in a vase." She walked off and left him standing there.

He knew he should understand where she was coming from, but he wanted to be Carter's father so bad he would taste it. His head hung as he made his choice.

When he walked into the living room his breath caught in his throat. Cat was on her knees allowing Carter to smell her flowers, they looked so beautiful together.

His eyes lingered on Cat, then drifted to Carter. He was a small boy, smaller than Beck remembered. He had Beck's messy hair and facial features, but his eyes, which looked up at him curiously, were all Cat.

"Who's that?" he heard the boy ask innocently, he studied the man before him.

Cat sat her flowers on the counter and lifted him into her arms. She motioned for Beck to come over. "Carter, this is Beck." Beck put his hand out for the boy.

"Buck?" Carter repeated as he stared dumbly at the outstretched hand.

Beck smiled at how the boy said his name. "That's right, buddy. Is your name Carter?"

The boy nodded vigorously. He pointed to his mother and said. "This is my mommy."

Cat giggled. "I know him, he is the old friend I told you about." Her voice dropped and she pretended to whisper. "I think he brought you something."

Beck watched the boy's brown eyes light up excitedly as he caught sight of the blue wrapped gift. He wiggled until he was on the floor and looked up at Beck.

"Can I see Buck?" He asked innocently.

Beck bent down in front of his and son and sat the gift on the floor. "Wanna open it?" he teased.

Carter blushed and nodded timidly. "Can Mama help?"

Cat sank to the floor beside the boys and reached out for the gift.

"What is it?" Carter pressed, he didn't quite grasp the concept of a gift.

"Why don't you open it?" His mother replied.

Carter nodded and ripped the paper off. When he had it open he sat back on his legs and stared at it in confusion. He looked up a Beck. "What is it?"

Cat giggled at the confusion on both the boys' faces. "It's Elmo." Beck told him. "You don't know who Elmo is?" His gaze went to Cat when the boy shook his head. "He doesn't know Elmo?" The very idea was unbelievable.

Cat giggled. "We don't watch television, do we Bucket?"

Beck didn't know what to address first, the fact that Cat Valentine's child did not watch TV or the nickname. "Bucket?" he asked.

Cat flushed red all the way to her ears. "It's my nickname, he can't say his middle name."

He thought for a long moment before his grin widened. "Beckett?"

She nodded shyly.

_She named him after me! _He thought with glee.

"Emo?" Carter's childish voice broke through the tension.

Cat let out a breath at the distraction. "Elmo, yes." She squeezed the red monster's paw and it came to life. Carter yelped and dove behind his mother. "Shh, honey, it's okay. Beck, get it out of here!" She pulled the sobbing child into her lap.

Beck hung his head in shame as he carried the toy to the front hall and buried it beneath his jacket. He could not believe he had scared the boy! How stupid could he be? For a while he stayed in the hall, too embarrassed to face Cat again, when the courage was finally regained, he made his way back.

"Did he weave?" he heard Carter ask.

"Yes honey, Elmo is gone." Cat whispered back. "I'm sorry he scared you."

He smiled as the boy kissed his mother's cheek. The two were absolutely perfect together. A shot of anger burst through him at the thought that he hadn't been there for the two of them. He looked around at the small, dingy apartment and guilt invaded. He didn't know what sort of job Cat had, but he lived well and his home was huge. How would he allow this? What kind of father was he?

"Buck?" Carter's voice called to him.

He smiled at the name. "Coming, Buddy!"

**I hope it wasn't too terrible!**

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheSpeedOfLove and ;xxRAINBOWunicornsXX. I'm sorry I haven't had time to reply to you, but thank you! You ****guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! And I also want to thank those who followed/favorited this story! You are all amazing! :)**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

** Loves, Jessy**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N at the bottom!**

The New Normal

Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious because I am not Dan S**_**chneider**_

Chapter Six

The passed three weeks had to be the most amazing and fantastic of Beck Oliver's life! Each moment he spent with his son made his life seem like it was somehow suddenly complete. There was no words to describe the feeling of being a father.

"Mommy?" Carter asked in a tired voice. Cat had been rocking him for the passed twenty minutes and he had been fighting sleep all the way.

"Yes, Bucket." she whispered, she had been lost in her own thoughts at the idea of Beck keeping Carter alone for the first time.

"When we seein Buck gain?" He had taken quite a liking to Beck over the passed few weeks, much to his mother's dismay; she was used to being the only one he depended on.

"I think you are going to his house tomorrow." She replied. At first she had hated the idea, but Jade, of all people, had convinced her that it had to happen sometime.

"Will you be there?" he asked innocently.

As much as she hated the idea of leaving her son alone with Beck, she knew she could trust him and the two needed to bond.

"Mommy has to work baby." She told him, but he was already asleep.

"Cat, listen, I've got this! Calm down!" Beck told the brunette for the tenth time the next morning when she dropped Carter off.

"You have his doctor's number, my number, his allergy list?" She said as she went through the lists she had made for the day. She had never been one to leave her son at anyone's house, Jade had only kept him a handful of times.

"Yes, yes." He looked down at the list. "He is allergic to peanut butter? Who is allergic to peanut butter? You used to eat it like it was going out of style, and no candy or TV? Cat Valentine, what are you doing to this child?"

She sighed deeply and rolled her eyes as Beck went over every little thing on her list.

"Isn't he too old for diapers? I'm sure he will be fine in underwear."

"What is gluten-free?"

"Make him say his alphabet? Cat he's two."

Carter watched the whole scene with amusement, he didn't understand but he was all for no 'apabet or diappies.'

"Okay!" she finally stopped him. "You think you know everything? Have fun, Oliver, don't ruin my child, and no candy!" she kissed Carter's forehead, shot Beck a glare, and left the house.

Once the door shut behind her, Beck turned to the boy with a smile. "Wanna watch TV?" he asked, he was unsure of how to entertain the toddler, maybe he did need Cat's lists after all.

Carter gave him a look and pulled a coloring book out his book bag. "Color." He pointed at Beck.

The man smiled, this wouldn't be too hard! Little did he know he would be eating those words in less than an hour...

"Carter! Why are you naked!" he asked the boy as he walked back into the living room after making lunch, he had left Carter coloring, now he was standing stark naked on the coffee table.

The boy giggled and hurled a wet diaper at him, luckily he was only two and had no sense of aim, it hit him in the foot.

"Gross!" he groaned. "No, wait, Carter!" the boy had took off down the hall. "Carter!"

He searched the downstairs of the house without any luck. Every once in a while he could hear childish giggles but the boy was a professional hide and seeker.

He had not other choice, he had to call Cat.

"Why didn't you tell me my son was a nudist?" he growled when she answered.

She giggled. "I didn't get to that, someone acted like they knew everything, remember?"

"Funny Valentine, now he is hiding from me."

"Check the showers." She replied.

He ran up the stairs to his bathroom, sure enough, a very naked Carter was in the shower. "Gotta go Cat."

"Have fun!" She giggled.

He switched off the phone and faced the boy.

"Hi, Buckie, I havin' a showa." he giggled. "I nakie!" he looked down at his bare body and burst into a fit of giggles.

Beck couldn't hold back a smile. "Why are you nakie?"

Carter looked serious. "I in the showa." he gave his father a 'you're stupid' look. "I wike it."

"You like it? Well, I like you in clothes, can we get dressed? Is your shower done?"

A mischievous smile crossed the boy's face as she shook his head. "No!" Before Beck could catch him, he was out of the bathroom and giggling all the way down the fall.

He groaned s he once again chased after the exposed boy. As he ran down the stairs the front door open and Carter ran into someone's legs.

The person let out a shriek, which caused the boy to burst into sobs. "Who the hell is this?"

Beck skidded to a halt. "Alyssa?"

The blonde woman looked up at him with a glare. "Beck, what is going on? Why is there a naked child in my house?"

Beck grabbed Carter and attempted to soothe his sobs. "It's okay, buddy, she didn't mean to scare you."

"Me scare him? Beckett Oliver, you tell me what is going on this instant!" She stamped her foot for effect. She followed the boys into the living room.

"Let me get him calmed down, Lyssa, okay?" She huffed but gave him his space.

"Are you hungry, buddy?" he asked as he redressed the boy in his jeans and blue t-shirt.

"I want Mommy." Carter whined. Beck heart Alyssa make an angry noise in the back of her throat, thankfully she said nothing.

"Mom is working, okay? She will be here soon to take you home." He hugged the boy. "Let's eat lunch."

He settled the toddler into the booster seat that Cat brought over, he hadn't bought anything for the house because he honestly didn't know what to get or if Cat was even going to let him come over.

"I'm going to talk to Alyssa, eat your carrots and peas, okay?"

Cater nodded as he dunked his fingers in the ranch dip and sucked it off.

"Talk, Oliver." Alyssa demanded when he returned to the living room. "Who the hell is that kid? Better yet, why is he here?"

"Remember that girl I told you I was dating during college?" he began.

"Don't tell me!" She snapped angrily.

"She got pregnant, I left, now here we are." she said lamely.

Alyssa rubbed her temples to ward off an impending headache. "What did she find you? If this is about child support, I'm sure we can pay her off."

Beck's jaw dropped, was she serious? "She didn't find me. Remember that school I was substituting at? Apparently my old friend Andre's son goes there, Cat was there with him and he came into my classroom. She didn't mean for me for me to see him." He explained.

Alyssa crossed her arms, her eyes were slits. "Then, why is the kid here?"

"He is my son." Beck was shocked at the way she was acting."I want to be in his life?"

"What about whatshername?"

"Cat." he corrected automatically. "No worries, she made it clear we are parents, not friends."

Alyssa's face twisted into a smile. "Smart girl. So Daddy, are you going to introduce me to the kid?"

"Daddy?" A voice called behind them. Beck whipped around to face a very confused Carter.

"Umm...Shit." he muttered.

The small boy entered the room fully. He didn't understand what 'Buck' and the mean lady were talking about. Where was Daddy? He looked up to Beck, was Beck Daddy?

"Carter, come here, I want you to meet Alyssa." He changed the subject, hoping the boy wouldn't catch on.

Cater eyed the lady, he didn't like her, she yelled at him and pushed him off of her. He hid behind Beck's legs.

The lady bent down to his level. "Nice to meet you Carter." She said in a fake voice as she patted his head like one would a dog.

Before the conversation could continue, the doorbell ran. Beck jumped at the chance to leave the tense room.

"Cat?" he wasn't expecting her this early.

She smiled at him. "Miss Hodges closed the shop early, so I came to see my boys. I thought we could go to lunch, maybe the park?" she was in such a good mood that she hadn't realized what she said, but Beck caught it, it made his heart swell, someone else had caught it too.

Alyssa had conned Carter into allowing her to hold him and she carried the boy into the foyer. She got a sense of satisfaction when she saw Cat's smile fall.

"Mommy!" Puts me down lady!" Carter squealed when he saw his mother, he wiggled until he was on the floor and raced to her.

"Hi, honey," she lifted him into her arms. "Who is your new friend?" She kissed his forehead and fixed his messy hair, she was avoiding eye contact with both of the other adults.

Beck was too stunned to speak, all he would think about was what happened three weeks ago, would Cat mention it?

"How rude of me!" Alyssa put a hand out for Cat to shake, her voice was high and false. "I'm Alyssa Vaughn, Beck's fiancee!'

**Yep, Beck has a fiancee!**

**I hope it wasn't too terrible!**

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheDreamer006; Poppy the Rabbit and ;xxRAINBOWunicornsXX. You guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! And I also want to thank those who followed/favorited this story! You are all amazing! :)**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N at the bottom!**

The New Normal

Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious because I am not Dan S**_**chneider**_

Chapter Seven

"Fi-Fiancee?" Cat stuttered, she looked over at Beck, who gave her a pleading look as Alyssa draped her arm over his shoulders.

"Yes, about five months now, right Becky?" She gushed, she kissed Beck's mouth. "We've been together about a year and a half now." The blonde's smile widened at Cat's obvious discomfort.

"Well, congratulations." the brunette put on her best fake smile, all she wanted to to do was crawl in the corner and sob, but she would not give Alyssa that satisfaction. She situated her son on her hip. "We best be off."

Beck pulled out of Alyssa's grip. "I thought you wanted to go to the park."

"It looks like rain," Cat replied lamely, causing Alyssa to smirk once again. _Bitch_ Cat thought darkly. "Can I have Carter's things?"

Beck nodded and went to collect his son's things. He really didn't like the idea of leaving the two women alone, but he had no choice. Once he was out of sight, Alyssa rounded on Cat.

"What are you doing here?" the actress hissed in a low voice.

Cat, who had been fully expecting the outburst, smiled. "What's wrong, Alyssa? Do you feel threatened?"

The girl scoffed. "As if. He never even mentioned either of you. How important can you be to him?"

Cat almost faltered, but she knew what was what the girl wanted. "Maybe you weren't important enough to know." She smiled as Alyssa's smirk disappeared and her face went slightly pink. She couldn't deny it, it did hurt her deep that Beck had never mentioned either of them, but Alyssa was not going to know that.

Beck returned with Carter's things before the spat could continue, he noted the tension but did not comment on it. "I'm going to help her get Carter in the car, why don't you go get unpacked?"

Alyssa gave him a possessive kiss on the mouth. "Goodbye Cat, I hope to see you soon." She left the three on the doorstep.

"Cat, please." Beck started, but the woman had already begun to stalk off to her car.

She was silent until she got her son strapped in and closed his door.

"How could you?" Of all the things she wanted to say to him, that was what came out?

He looked at her. Her brown eyes were full of heartbroken, betrayed, tears. His heart hurt to know how much pain he was once again causing her.

"I-, Cat, I am so sorry." he moved to touch her, but slapped his hand away.

"I frankly don't know why I honestly believed you would be any different!" She furiously wiped away the tears that cascaded down her reddening cheeks. "You are the exact same selfish Beck you were three years ago."

That stopped him in his tracks, he wanted to yell and scream at her that he was not selfish. But he would be lying. He was selfish then, and now. Cat did not deserve what he had done to her.

"What can I do?" he asked, his voice cracking.

She looked at him with narrow eyes. "I would say leave me the hell alone."

"No! Cat, please, I just got to know Carter, please don't force me out!" Begged Beck.

She held up a hand to stop him. "But, I can't do that. We have a child together. But so help me, if you hurt my son, I will smother you in your sleep."

He gulped. Never once had he ever seen Cat use serious threats. He did not like this Caterina Valentine. "Cat, please don't hate me."

She scoffed. "You can't hate someone who longer exists. Pick up Carter tomorrow at 9, I am not bringing him back here."

"Can I hug him?" he asked, he was too ashamed at what he had done to look her in the eye.

Her eyes softened slightly. "Of course, I will not keep you from your son, Beck." She took Carter's toys and diaper bag from the man and got into the drivers seat.

He opened the door and bent over the boy. "Bye, buddy. Are you going to hang out with me again tomorrow?"

Carter gave him a lazy smile. "Yep." he giggled at the way he popped his 'p.'

Beck smiled at the boy. "I will see you then."

"Love you, Buck." he held his little arms out for a hug.

The man's heart swelled as he gave the boy the biggest hug he could muster. "I love you too, buddy."

He looked up to the driver's seat, Cat stared straight ahead, he swore he could hear her sniffle and see a slight shake in her thin shoulders.

"Mommy," Carter asked when they got home, he did not like how quiet she had been. Usually on car rides they could sings and laugh, but today she just turned on his kiddie songs and refused to sing.

Cat looked up from the refrigerator, her face was still red and puffy from crying. "Yes, Carter?"

"Are you sad?" he asked, he stepped forward.

Cat hated that her son had to see her so upset. She had called Jade over for supper and some girl talk, hopefully her best friend could cheer her up. All she wanted was to get over Beck and get on with her life with Carter.

"A little, baby." she closed the fridge, tonight was going to be a take-out night, she wasn't in the mood to cook. She sat on the linoleum floor in front of the counter.

Carter sat beside her and took her hand in his tiny one. For a long time he said nothing. Finally he spoke. "Are you mad at Buck?"

Cat looked down at her son, she was unable to stop the tears from clouding her eyes at the mention of Beck's name. Dammit, she hated crying in front of him.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, she lifted him into her lap.

He shrugged. "I don't wike Alywssa." he mumbled. "She's mean to Mommy." she got a bit of a chuckle out of that one.

"No, honey, she is Beck's girlfriend." She tried to explain. "They are going to get married."

Carter made a face. "You marry Buck, he can be my daddy."

Her heart felt like it seized in her throat, she did not want to lie to her son. Luckily, she was saved by the doorbell.

"Wogan!" Carter squealed, he scrambled off his mother's lap and darted to the living room. "Hurry Mama!"

Jade and Logan walked into the kitchen, the girl had never been patient before she was pregnant, now it was worse.

"Seriously?" she snapped when she saw Cat getting off the floor. "I am the one who's seven month's pregnant and you are sitting on the floor!"

Cat giggled as her best friend smiled and helped her up. "Love you too, Jadey."

Jade waved her off, "Yeah, yeah, where's dinner? I'm starving, Andre is the worst cook and you know I refuse." she shooed the boys out of the kitchen.

"Take-out, I'm thinking Chinese." Cat sat at the worn dining table, Jade followed suit and sat heavily across from her.

She nodded and struggled to get herself comfortable. Since the return of Beck Oliver, the girls hadn't had the time to talk without Andre around. Jade knew something had happened, but Cat had thus far been unwilling to share.

"So, how was Bucket's first day with everyone's favorite ex boyfriend?" Jade got right to the point.

Cat picked at her unpainted nails. "Well, I think the two of them had fun, he told him he loved Beck." She began, she didn't know if she should tell her heavily pregnant best friend about sleeping with her ex then finding out about his fiancee.

Jade nodded thoughtfully. "That's good, I know how he gets with strangers." She watched Cat nod nervously and not meet her eyes.

It was laughable that even after knowing once another for twenty years, Cat still thought she could fool Jade.

"What happened, honey?" she knew she needed to be gentle if she was ever going to get anything out of the former redhead. Her heart fell when tears filled Cat's eyes. "Cat? What did that son of a bitch do?"

That was the straw that broke the camel's back, the tiny woman burst into sobs. "I- We sl-s-slept...together." Cat buried her head in her hands.

Jade had to take a deep breath. "Okay," she said evenly. "When?"

Cat looked up, her face was beet red. "Logan's PTC." she squeaked.

Jade's jaw dropped, they slept together the day they met again? She never thought Cat had it in her, but she was here to judge her friend. Unable to speak, she nodded for the smaller to go on.

"I told him we couldn't be together, for Carter." She was mumbling, Jade had strain to hear her over the noise of the boys in the other room. "When I went to pick up C-Carter today, I m-met his fiancee."

If Jade West-Harris hadn't been pregnant and impeded by her massive stomach, she would have jumped up and went to kill Beck Oliver herself. Didn't he understand how fragile Cat was? How would he do that to her?

"That bastard." She muttered darkly under her breath. Cat sobbed across from her. She heaved herself up and put her arm around Cat. "Honey, I am so sorry."

The smaller girl's shoulders shook with her tears, this time she could hardly stop the sobs that ripped through her. But she had to, for Carter; before the boy heard her and came running to the rescue like her own personal mini superhero.

Why did this have to happen to her?

**I thought this story needed a little Jade West-Harris! Don't worry, she will get to sink her teeth into Beck sooner or later!**

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheDreamer006; Digidestend Angel; TheSpeedOfLove; ChasingMidnight; CourtsxBatFan; Guest and ;xxRAINBOWunicornsXX. You guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! And I also want to thank those who followed/favorited this story! You are all amazing! :)**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	8. Chapter 8

**I am going to apologize now for this chapter! I HATE it! But please bear with me, it was almost like pulling teeth to even get it written! I will try to make the new one better, and longer!**

The New Normal

Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter Eight

"Look at this! How cute is this?" Beck gushed as he and Alyssa made their way through the children's section of the mall.

Alyssa pushed the cart and tried to occupy herself with various e-mails and text messages on her phone; this was not her idea of fun. "Why are we here again?" She asked dully.

Beck refused to let her bring his good mood down. "Because, Cat is letting Carter spend more time at the house and I think it is pointless for her to keep toting all of his things back and forth, don't you?"

"Wouldn't want to trouble Princess Cat." The blonde mumbled under her breath, honestly, she had heard about enough of the little brunette baby mama for one lifetime.

"Did you say something, Babe?" he asked absently, he was so lost in all of the selection of things for his son that he wasn't paying attention.

"I just said how great it is that she is finally letting you spend more time with your son, I thought we were going to have to take her to court."

He stopped. "I promised I wouldn't do that to her." He said seriously.

She giggled and kissed his cheek. "And that is what makes you such a wonderful fiancee." He flashed her a dazzling smile that at one time never failed to make her weak in the knees, now it just increasingly annoyed her.

"Just think, he is perfect practice for when we have one of our own!" he tickled her side playfully, she did not laugh.

"One of our own?" She nearly choked as she stopped the cart and turned to face him.

He was still looking down through the various toys in the aisle. "Of course babe," he laughed at shocked face.

"Beck," she really didn't want to do this in the middle of a toy store, but he was just not getting off the subject. "I really, really, don't want kids." his head snapped up and she instantly felt bad. "I mean I'm all for Carter. He's not around all the time. But I'm not really a 'mommy' kind of girl. I have my career to think about." She couldn't believe the kicked puppy look he was currently giving her, before Carter came into the picture Beck never mentioned wanting kids. Sometimes she really hated the new 'Daddy Beck.'

He looked shocked, his eyes were glassy with tears. "Y-You don't want kids?" He felt like she had ripped out his heart and stomped it into the floor.

She looked at him as if he were crazy. "No" She said simply, as if it were the easiest thing in the world to just brush off.

Beck was wounded. How could she not want children with him? Ever since Carter came into his life he began picturing all of the other children he would one day have and the experiences he would have with them that he already missed out on with Carter.

"You okay Beck?" She asked, a comforting hand rested on his shoulder.

He nodded miserably.

"You know, maybe we can approach this topic in say 10 or 12 years?"

That sent him farther down, but he put on a fake smile and gave her a swift peck on the lips.

"Mommy!" She could hear her son yelling from the other room, he was pissed, not that she could really blame him. "Mommy, open dis door!" She felt the door behind her shake as he fave it a good hard kick. She couldn't bring herself to get on to the boy for it. She had been locked in here for ten minutes.

Carter's yells finally went silent, she supposed he finally grew bored of trying to coax her out of the bathroom and ran off to play with his toys. She was grateful, days like this, she wasn't sure how much more she could take. It wasn't Carter's fault, no never, but she just had so much going on at the moment .

When she was finally able to bring herself off the floor, she stumbled over to the mirror and took in her haggard appearance. Her face was pale and blotchy from crying, Carter couldn't see her like this! She grabbed a washcloth and began wiping her face until she looked at least a bit more presentable.

When she opened the door her heart dropped, Carter was curled up on the floor in front of the bathroom door. He was absently rolling his favorite green fire truck back and forth, he didn't even look up at her when she said his name.

"Baby?" She called again, this time he looked up at her with a glare, she felt guilty. Silently, she sat beside him and watched him rolled the truck across the ugly gray carpet.

"Why you sad Mommy?" He asked her, he refused to look up at her.

"Mommy is really sad," She replied, all she wanted to do was pack up everything and run away, but she couldn't do that to Beck, to Jade, to her son.

"Why?" the little boy pressed, he had abandoned his truck and climbed into her lap, his big brown eyes stared into hers.

Her own doe eyes filled with tears. "Well, baby, it's grown up stuff."

He looked frustrated. "I a growned up." He puffed out his little chest in an effort to look older. She giggled at his efforts.

"Not quite, you still have a few years, it's all really boring anyway." She explained as she stood and lifted him with her. The two made their way over to the rocking chair and curled up.

"Are you sad with Buck?" Carter asked, he was bound and determined to get it out of her.

How the boy always knew, Cat would never understand. "Why do you say that?"

He shrugged and played with the various rings on her fingers, one of his favorite pastimes.

"Maybe I am, what do you think of Beck?" she asked the small boy in her lap.

Carter's whole face lit up in a beautiful smile. "Oh I wike him! We pway pirates! He gaves me candies!" He giggled when he realized he had revealed a secret.

Cat, who of course knew of the candy situation gasped. "I will have to get him for that!" She teased.

"No Mommy! It's a secret!" he put his little finger to his lips.

She giggled at his antics and kissed his temple. Leave it to Carter to always make her smile even in the worst of situations. The felt the little boy give a contented sigh and lean into her chest, his little thumb went to his mouth and his eyes drifted shut.

She allowed her mind to wander. Was she doing to right thing? Ever since Beck came back into their lives everything had seemed to be going down hill and all over the place. She wasn't sure if it was all the Canadian's fault or if she was to blame as well, maybe she was holding onto her old ways too tightly, maybe she needed to loosen up. Her eyes drifted closed as she thought about a certain test laying unopened on the bathroom counter. Could that be the straw that broke the camel's back for all of them?

**Yeah, maybe that was a bit predictable, but there are still a few twists and turns happening here! I mean, I am not planning on this story ending any time soon, just going through a patch of writer's block! Sorry for the suckish chapter!**

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheDreamer006; Digidestend Angel; ChasingMidnight; CourtsxBatFan; glittergirl2410; : ZanyRainbowZebra ; Guest.. You guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! You don't know how much your review mean to me! As a writer I should say the reviews don't matter, but they really do in the boosting morale department! Everyone loves to feel good about the things they create, especially when they themselves feel like it sucks! And to you who have been reviewing every chapter! You are my heroes! And I love you a million red skittles!**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	9. Chapter 9

**I am going to apologize now for this chapter! I HATE it! But please bear with me, it was almost like pulling teeth to even get it written! I will try to make the new one better, and longer!**

The New Normal

Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter Nine

"Come on, dammit!" Cat muttered angrily into her cell phone. "Answer your phone, you bastard." she had been trying to get a hold of him for the last thirty minutes.

"Bad word, Aunt Cat!" Logan called from the back seat, she had to bite her tongue to keep herself from snapping at the five year old. Her patience was a little passed wearing thin.

"Mommy?" Carter's voice called from the back seat of the little silver Prius, yet another gift from her parents, not that she wasn't grateful.

"Yes...baby?" She added the last part for his sake, she didn't want, or need, either boy to know how stressed she really was at the moment.

"Are we gonna to gets...umm...candies?" he asked, his eyes were full of excitement.

She winced, usually on Halloween Cat, Jade and Andre took the boys to a party at Logan's old daycare. They never served candy, only a healthy alternative to the sugary snack. But now Logan had moved up to the Kinder Center, who thoroughly believed in candy, and you had to be attending the daycare to go to the party. Since Beck came into their lives, and was mysteriously always "between movies," he kept the boy throughout the day.

Cat had thought it was a good idea, the two got to spend the day together and she got to save money on daycare. But that was before Beck explained the candy aspect of Halloween to her son, who, until Beck came waltzing in, hadn't even tasted a chocolate covered raisin. Now Carter was obsessed, and he had even drug Logan in on it, much to Jade's ire.

"Beck is going to have to take you guys." she told the boys. "If I can even get a hold of him."

"It is so cool you get to hang out with Mister O everyday!" Logan gushed, he was still enthralled with Beck.

Carter fixed the red hat on his pirate costume. "I wike Buck."

Logan nodded and pulled his own football helmet off. "He's like your dad! You do all sorts of stuff with him like me and my daddy do together!"

Cat's foot slipped off the brake for a moment, she had to slam it back down before she rear ended the car in front of her.

"Whoa Mommy!" Carter giggled as he went forward then fell back against his car seat.

She too laughed it off. "Sorry boys, so what are you going to do with all of that candy you get tonight?" she needed to change the subject quickly.

The two boys in the back looked at each other, bother tiny faces broke into huge grins. "Eat it!" Logan squealed, Carter followed suit.

Cat laughed at the boys. They reminded her of the relationship she and Jade had when they were young. She could only hope they grew up to be as close as her and the former goth had one day.

Finally, her phone rang, she snapped it up and put it through the car's speakers.

"About time, Oliver." she growled.

"Hi Buck/Mister O!" Came a chorus from the back seat.

Beck laughed through the speakers. "I feel the love guys, what are you up to? Do you need something?"

"Candy!" The boys yelled.

Cat shushed the hyper children by turning on a kid's Halloween CD and setting the fade to the back. "Listen, I need you to take the boys tonight." She had put the phone to her ear so the conversation could no longer be over heard.

"W-What?" Beck was shocked, Andre had never allowed him to keep Logan since he had come back.

"Jade is in labor, Andre is stuck in New York, I need to get back to the hospital like thirty minutes ago when I started calling you!" She said it a bit harsher than she intended.

"I was in an audition. But I can take them."

She let out a stress reliving breath, finally, something was going right today. "Thank you. They are expecting Trick or Treating, which everyone blames you for by the way."

"Naturally," he replied drily, "I will take the rugrats, when and where do you need me to pick them up?"

"I am on my way to your house, we will be there in five." She hung up the phone before he could continue, that had been the longest conversation they had since she found out about Alyssa. Usually they just exchanged quick 'hellos' and 'goodbyes' when he picked up and dropped off Carter.

She had things to tell him, she just didn't know how.

Finally they arrived at Beck and Alyssa's house, thankfully Alyssa was off in London filming some new movie. _Which will hopefully tank._ She hope darkly.

"This is where Mister O lives? I've got to get Dad to let me watch some of his movies!" Logan mused excitedly.

Beck met them at the drive. "Oh my gosh! A pirate and a footballer! You two look amazing!" He lifted the two of them up in a bear hug.

"Where is your costume Mister O?"

Beck laughed. "I'm a bit too old buddy, let's just say I am a movie star!"

"Where are you going to take them?" Cat asked as the boys scampered off towards the house. "And when I call you I need you to bring them to the hospital, she is in room 2043."

Beck nodded, he found it a bit weird he was taking care of his ex-girlfriend's kid while she was off having another one. "Probably just around in my old neighborhood. Not too many places, don't worry."

"Your parents?" She asked.

"Back in Canada, don't worry, but Cat, we are going to have to tell him sometime, this is kill me."

She waved him off with a dismissive nod. "I know, I know, I get it, we will, thanks for this Beck." She gave him a swift kiss on the cheek and jumped in her car.

"Oh God! Cat! This wasn't so hard when you did it!" Jade moaned as another contraction ripped through her body.

Cat glared at her friend. "I had a c-section. I was unconscious. Besides, you've done this before, man up." She replied as she flipped through an outdated fashion magazine.

"If that were possible I wouldn't have gotten pregnant in the first place." Jade attempted to make a joke, it hurt a bit to laugh.

Cat had to think about it for a moment, then she giggled. "Jadey, focus on birth, please."

Jade huffed and threw herself back against the pillows. "Why are you here? You are the most unsympathetic birthing partners I have ever met."

At that one, Cat looked up at her friend, her own eyes went shiny with tears. She stood and threw her arms around her laboring friend.

"I'm so sorry!" she sobbed into Jade's shoulder.

The taller girl patted Cat's shoulder. "Here I thought I was the one finally going to be comforted, you know since I am pushing a human being out of my vagina and all!" She teased, she didn't mean it with any sort of malice.

Cat pulled away and wiped her face. "I am so sorry! I am being selfish! You are having a baby!"

"Your goddaughter." Jade added.

"Right, and I am putting all of my problems on you. "Cat felt terrible.

Jade gave her a comforting look. "Cat Valentine, I have know you my entire life, pretty much, you have been there every single time I needed you. Hell, I mean you took yourself off bedrest to come see me when I had my miscarriage. I never thought I would be happy again, but you showed me all the things I still had in life."

Cat's heart hurt at the mention of Jade's miscarriage three years ago. She had been six months pregnant and on very strict bedrest when she got the call. She had picked herself up and went straight to Jade, they spent an entire week holed up in Jade's bedroom. They rarely spoke of it now.

"I'm pregnant!" She blurted out, she hadn't meant to, it kinda just fell out of her mouth.

Jade's mouth fell open as she searched for something to say. Another contraction tore through her, she didn't know if she was thankful for the distraction or not.

"I'll trade you places." She joked once the pain ebbed away.

Cat let out something between a laugh and a sob. There were no words to describe how thankful she was for Jade. "You're not mad?"

"Mad? Of course not Cat. Worried? Yes. Upset that I am losing my drinking buddy just when I can get back in the game? Hell yes! You've got to stop copying me!" She reached out and took Cat's hand in her own, her face suddenly serious, "How are you?"

"Freaking out. I am in the same place I was with Carter."

Jade nodded. "Have you told Beck? You're like what? Two months?"

Cat took a deep breath. "I am ten and a half weeks, and no, I haven't told Beck. I just found out."

Jade wanted to get on to her and tell her that she needed to tell Beck but she knew Cat needed to do things in her own time. She was afraid, and with Beck, well that was understandable.

"Have you been to the doctor?"

The smaller girl just hid her head in her hands and shook her head. Going to the doctor would make everything all too real.

Jade was unable to continue the conversation; the doctor came into the room.

"We need to check you honey. Would you like your friend to leave for a moment?" the kindly woman asked.

The laboring woman grabbed the brunette's hand and yanked her to her side. "Stay, Cat, and not looking. We are close, but that is just weird."

"You cut my son's umbilical cord." Cat argued for the sake of arguing. Even if she had been unconscious for her son's birth, she had seen the video.

"Well, if that husband of mine doesn't get here in time, I'll let you return the favor." Jade snapped, she was ready to get this kid out of her.

"Alright, Miss Harris, it seems your baby is in a bit of distress. We would recommend a Cesarean.  
The doctor informed her as she read the charts coming from the machine measuring the baby's heart rate.

"What?" Jade shouted, she sat up quickly, Cat tried in vain to get to lie back down.

"This happens," The doctor assured her, "I can get right in there and you can see your little girl in thirty minutes tops."

The dam busted and Jade burst into a round of hysterical tears. Cat was at a loss, she faintly heard the doctor tell them he could give them a moment as she left the room.

"Jadey, honey, calm down, you need to calm down, you will make it worse." Cat attempted to soothe the distraught woman.

Jade looked up at her with a glare. "Calm down? CALM DOWN? How can I calm down? I am in labor! My husband is 30,000 feet above the Great Lakes. My baby is in distress! You wouldn't understand!"

That stopped Cat for a moment, but she brushed it off, she knew her friend didn't know what she was saying. "Actually, Jade, I would, better than anyone. Now, calm the hell down, get your hand off your IV, and lay back down. We are having my goddaughter, like, right now!"

Jade sent her another glare, but she obeyed. Ten minutes later she was laying flat on her back in the operating room.

"Oh my gosh! Jadey! I am so glad I was unconscious for this the last time! Look at all of that blood!" Cat squeaked as she peeked over the blue sheet separating Jade's head from the rest of her body.

"I would, you know, but there is a giant sheet hanging in front of me!" the dark headed woman snapped, she was not liking the pulling and tugging she was feeling in abdomen.

"Calm down Miss Harris." the doctor ordered in an even voice. "Alright, here comes the newest Harris."

Suddenly a piercing cry was heard throughout the room. Jade's cheeks were wet with tears.

"Miss Valentine, would you like to cut the cord?"

Cat looked down at her friend who nodded earnestly.

The brunette cut her goddaughter's umbilical cord and watched with glassy eyes as the little girl was moved to be cleaned. Moments later she was handed the tiny 5 pound 6 ounce, pink swaddled bundle.

"Hi sweetheart, do you want to meet your Mommy?" she crooned as she carefully fixed her tiny knit hat and carried her over to Jade.

"Oh my baby!" The new mother cried. She wanted nothing more than to take her baby in her arms and kiss her all over, but she was not allowed to get up yet. She settled for a kiss on the forehead. "She is so beautiful."

"You did so good Jadey, sleep now, I've got her."

Four hours later Jade woke up back in her old hospital room. Andre, Cat, Logan, Beck and Carter were spread across the room. Her husband and son sat in a rocker beside the bed holding the sleeping baby. The boys were still dressed in their costumes.

"How appropriate that you, Jade West, would have a mini you on Halloween." Beck said when he saw her eyes open.

She was too happy to give him a good comeback. She only motioned for Andre to bring her baby closer. He stood and brought the tiny baby to her mother, who finally got to hold her daughter for the first time.

"Oh my baby girl." She whispered.

Across the room, Cat pulled Carter tighter in her arms, she remembered the feeling of holding him for the first time, and how amazing it was to know that they both survived the hell the had endured during her pregnancy. Maybe she could do this again after all, she looked over a Beck, he was smiling absently at the Harris family. _He should get this chance_. She told herself.

"So what's her name?" Logan's voice broke through her thoughts.

Jade looked right at Cat. "Aria." She said softly, "Aria Caterina West-Harris."

**Whew! That was my longest chapter! But I think this was the chapter that ended my writer's block! It just kept coming out! I hope you liked it! And it wasn't too boring, I thought Cat needed to tell someone about the baby, but wait! There is a twist coming! **

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheDreamer006; ChasingMidnight (Who I meant to reply to but totally forgot! I am so sorry! Thanks for the review!); BrownieStick ; glittergirl2410; : xxRAINBOWunicornsXX ; Babigurlswagger ...**

**You guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! You don't know how much your review mean to me! As a writer I should say the reviews don't matter, but they really do in the boosting morale department! Everyone loves to feel good about the things they create, especially when they themselves feel like it sucks! And to you who have been reviewing every chapter! You are my heroes! And I love you a million red skittles!**

**Also! I am writing a new story! But it will be a while before I post it! I want it to be perfect! But I recently got Taylor Swift's new album 'Red' and my story is based of the song 'Starlight' it's Bat, ****of course! But I will let your minds wander until I am happy enough with what I have written to post!**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	10. Chapter 10

**I will apologize now for this chapter, most of you will probably hate it/me for it. But bear with me, there is a method to my madness, somewhere. Honestly, I was in a really bad mood when I wrote this! Yikes!**

The New Normal

Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter Ten

"Aria is so beautiful." Beck mused as he and Cat, carried a sleeping Carter, made their way out of the hospital.

"Andre and Jade make cute kids." Cat replied despondently,, she really wasn't fully paying attention to their conversation.

Beck laughed. "Well, you know, we kinda do too." he put his arm around her shoulders without thinking about what he was doing.

She stiffened, but said nothing, she did not want to make a scene in the middle of the hospital parking lot. She simply rolled her shoulders and his arm fell back to his side.

"Maybe you and Alyssa will make cute babies." She told him.

He made a disapproving sound in the back of his throat. "Nah, we decided we didn't want anymore kids." he rubbed Carter's back lightly. "The big C is enough for the two of us, at least for now.

Cat felt her heart fall. Beck didn't want any more children? Sure she hadn't planned for this pregnancy but she was beginning to embrace it and she was hoping it would be a good opportunity for Beck as well. As for Alyssa, well, she could just go to hell for all Cat cared.

"I always thought you would want another baby, or two." Cat whispered, they had almost reached her car, she needed to get this out.

The man shrugged in an off handed way, he didn't want Cat knowing how much he wanted another baby and how Alyssa had decided for the both of them that they were not going to have one. "We have our careers to focus on, it's going to be hard enough with Carter." Shit! That did not come out the way he had intended.

Her eyes narrowed in anger. "What?" her voice shook. "_Hard enough with Carter?_ Last time I checked, Beck, you wanted to be in his life." the little boy stirred in her arms but, thankfully, did not wake.

Beck was embarrassed, he had not meant for it to come out like that. "Please, that is not what I meant! It came out all wrong!" he prayed for her to believe him.

She scoffed and hit the electronic door key on her key-chain then opened the back door. Carefully, she put her sleeping son in his car-seat and buckled him in.

"Somehow it always comes out wrong Beck." She told him in a miserable voice.

She said nothing else, only got into the driver's seat and drove away, leaving him standing there with tears in his eyes.

She did not speak to him for two days. He was not allowed to see his son, he guessed he deserved it in a way, but it still hurt. He should have thought before he implied that having the boy around was difficult on his career.

On the third day, he decided to man up and go to their apartment. At one time he would have gone bearing gifts of chocolates and teddy bears, but that wasn't Cat anymore, he missed his old Cat, but he knew he was responsible for her destruction.

He arrived at the modest apartment complex empty handed. He was not here to buy back her favor, he wanted to earn it back, one way or another.

She didn't answer after the first knock, so he tried again. "Cat?" he figured she was simply ignoring him on purpose.

Just as he was about to give up and leave, he heard a noise from within the previously silent apartment. It sounded like...Carter? Was he crying?

"Carter? Buddy? Can you open the door?" He called to his son, he had the sick sense that something was terribly wrong.

He could hear the little boy fiddling with the door knob. Moments later the door opened, just barely, the chain was still intact.

"Shit." Beck mumbled under his breath. He bent down to his son's level. "Hi buddy, where is your mommy?"

The little boy's eyes were red rimmed and bloodshot, his cheeks were tear-stained and sticky, he had obviously been crying for a while. "Sweep."

Beck was confused. "She is asleep? She is still in bed?" That was very unlike Cat to still be in bed at this time of day.

Carter shook his head rapidly. "No, in bafroom." he looked afraid. "Der is red stuff."

Beck's heart seized in his chest, he knew he needed to remain calm for the boy's sake, but it was increasingly difficult. He stood to full height. "Okay, Carter, I need you to go move far away from the door, okay Buddy? I need to get inside and see if I can wake Mommy up, okay?"

Carter nodded bravely, he disappeared from Beck's view. The moment the small boy's foot steps faded, and the movie star was sure he was out of harms way, Beck lifted his leg and gave the door a swift kick. The chain effectively broke.

He gave no thought to what the neighbors might think, he mind was set on Cat. He bolted for the bathroom. When it came into view, he stopped in his tracks.

Cater sat beside his unconscious mother, toys were scattered around the room, her body was half covered in his favorite green blanket. It looked like she had been there for a while. What scared him the most was the small puddle of blood underneath her. He snapped into action and ran forward.

First, he checked for a pulse, it was there but it was weak and thready.

"Buddy," he turned to the frightened child, "Can you do me a favor?"

Carter looked down at his mother, then nodded.

"Go in the living room and play, I need to call the doctors to come get Mommy."

The small boy's eyes widened, but he gave a slight nod and left the room as instructed.

"Okay Cat, I am going to get you help, but don't you dare die on me." he moved a stray piece of hair out of her face, "I have no clue what I am doing."

He whipped out his phone and dialed 911, ten minutes later they arrived. He cried as he held sobbing Carter back as the tiny boy tried to climb in the ambulance after his mother.

"WE will meet her at the hospital, okay buddy?" he assured the hysterical child.

"Mommy!" Carter reached out in the direction of the fleeing ambulance.

Beck kissed his head and felt him bury his face in his shoulder. "I know Carter, it's okay, Daddy's got you." he didn't realize what he was saying, Carter hadn't caught it either.

Quickly, he grabbed the diaper bag and the two set off to the hospital. In his haste, he had forgotten Cat's cellphone back at the apartment, he did not have any of her contacts, he could not call anyone to come get Carter. He wished he knew Jade's number, the boy did not need to see his mother like this again.

"Is Mommy here?" the little boy asked seriously, he looked around the busy ambulatory waiting room for his mother, he pouted when he did not see her.

"The doctors are working on her behind that door." Beck pointed to the swinging gray doors that led to the ER. "We will be able to see her when they are finished."

For two hours, Beck and Carter sat in the wait bay. The boy went between playing with the few toys that had been, miraculously, packed in his diaper bag and watching every single person that exited the swinging ER doors.

"I don't suppose you know Aunt Jade's phone number, do you Buddy?" Beck lamely asked the boy, after two hours of no news, well Beck was getting bored and desperate.

Carter gave him an 'are you crazy' look and watched yet another doctor walk out of the ER.

The man sat back with a huff. "I didn't think so either." the two fell into a comfortable silence, Carter climbed into his father's lap and began drifting off to sleep, his tiny thumb made it's way into his mouth.

When Jade West-Harris burst into the waiting room, everyone acknowledged her presence. She spotted Beck and stomped over.

"What the hell is going on, Oliver?" She yelled, patrons all around the room raised their heads and stared.

Beck, who had been drifting off, shot up, if he hadn't had a good grip on the boy in his arms he would have surely dropped him.

"I found her." He stuttered, Jade really scared him, she resemble a feral animal. He sat his son back in the chair and stood in front of his ex-girlfriend.

Jade's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You found her?" she repeated.

She sat down across from Carter, she wasn't even supposed to be here, being three days from an emergency c-section and all, but when she got a call from the hospital saying they had Cat, she came running. Pain be dammed.

Beck launched into the story of the passed few hours of his life, by the end Jade was sobbing.

"Oh God! The baby!" She asked frantically. "Did you tell them about the baby?"

Beck's jaw dropped and he suddenly looked like a fish out of water. "B-B-Baby?" he stuttered, his throat felt like it was closing.

Jade suddenly stopped and looked up at him. _He doesn't know_ She realized painfully. "Oh Beck, I am so sorry." She reached out a hand to comfort him, he shook it off and took a seat next to Carter.

_Cat was pregnant? Was that why she had been so evasive over the last few weeks? Why hadn't she told him? Was it her way of punishing him for not telling her about Alyssa? _He thought back to the other day and how hurt she had been when he told her he didn't want anymore children. Had she been trying to tell him then?

The two adults said nothing more, five minutes later the doctor emerged and called Cat's name.

"Here" Beck called, his voice broke, he realized he had been crying.

The rotund doctor made his way over and gave them a weak smile.

"Just tell us how she is." Jade demanded from her seat, she did not have the strength to stand. She had seen that look on a doctor's face before, she knew exactly how this would end.

"Caterina is lucky you found her when you did." The doctor looked at Beck, "It seems she had been lying there for quite some time, we measure around four to five hours at most, she lost quite a bit of blood. But we were able to begin a transfusion. She also has a mild concussion, we presume it is from when she hit the floor."

"The baby, just get to the baby." Beck pressed.

The doctor gave him a sad look. "I'm sorry sir, but we measured Caterina at eight weeks along..."

"She should have been almost eleven." Jade interrupted harshly.

The nodded nodded before continuing. "Yes, it seems the fetus was miscarried a couple weeks ago, this was Caterina's body's way of expelling it."

Beck sank into the chair and buried his head in his hands.

**Whew! Don't hate me for this chapter! I didn't plan for things to happen this way, but as I said, I was having a bad day and this came out! I am so incredibility sorry!**

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheDreamer006; ChasingMidnight; CourtsxBatFan; ZanyRainbowZebra; majaxxx; xxRAINBOWunicornsXX **

**You guys are why this chapter is up! Please keep reviewing and reading! You don't know how much your review mean to me! As a writer I should say the reviews don't matter, but they really do in the boosting morale department! Everyone loves to feel good about the things they create, especially when they themselves feel like it sucks! And to you who have been reviewing every chapter! You are my heroes! And I love you a million red skittles!**

**Also keep your eyes peeled for my new story which will be Beta'ed by none other than the AMAZING CHASINGMIDNIGHT! I am very excited, and from the messages she sent me, so is she, lol, I will try and get around to getting it up very soon!**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	11. Chapter 11

**This chapter is to make up for the last one. I am finally giving you the Bat moments, though not necessarily 'romantic' moments you have all been waiting for! I hope you all enjoy, this is one of my favorites! :) **

The New Normal

Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 11

The first thing Cat registered when she woke up was a sharp pain in her head and a dull ache in her lower abdomen, the next was that she was laying in a very uncomfortable bed. Her eyes felt like they weighed a million pounds; she was lethargic and weak.

Somewhere around her, she could hear voices, but they were all jumbled and sounded far away. She strained to make sense of it all, but failed.

The last thing she remembered before the darkness had found her was opening the bathroom door back at the apartment to call Jade. She had noticed blood on her underwear and her stomach had begun to cramp. Her thoughts jumped to Carter. _Where was he? _She knew he had been in the apartment with her. _Was he okay? How long had she been here? Wherever here was._

After some internal struggle, she finally managed to pry her eyes open despite the lead feeling. Immediately, they closed again at the harsh fluorescent light that burned somewhere above the bed. She let out some form of a forced, mangled moan, and the light was thankfully shut off. _That's better_. Her eyes opened again, she had to blink a few times to rid herself of the blurriness.

Beck stood beside the bed. He gazed down at her with glazed eyes, he said nothing. He made no sudden movements; almost as if he were a hunter afraid to spook a wild animal.

She realized how parched her throat was, it felt like sand paper. "Wa-ter." she ground out in a weak voice.

He nodded and disappeared for a moment. When he returned, he held a straw to her lips. She sucked the cool liquid down greedily; it soothed the soreness of her throat.

"Mmm..."She moved her head away. "No more."

He sat the now empty Styrofoam cup on the bedside table before taking a seat beside her. He looked afraid to speak.

"Carter?" She asked, her head still felt heavy, her thoughts were still foggy. She struggled to grasp them as they shot by in her mind.

"Jade took him home, last night." Beck brushed her hair out of her eyes.

She nodded, she felt herself fading again, suddenly one thought struck out at her. Her brown eyes snapped to attention. "The baby?" she fought the push back against the fog that threatened to take over once again.

Beck's eyes searched hers for a long time before he spoke. "I'm sorry."

It was like some sort of bomb broke a dam, she broke down in sorrowful tears. The sobs broke his heart and made her head pound even more. How could she lose her baby? She had been so vigilant since should found out! Sure she hadn't gone to the doctor yet, but some women went their whole pregnancies without consulting a doctor!

She snuck a quick look at Beck, he too had tears trailing down his face, but he made no move to comfort her. She couldn't say she blamed him. Sometimes it hurt more to lose something you didn't even know you had in the first place.

He was patient. He sat there on the side of the bed and waited silently until her sobs faded into hiccups. The pain was far from over, but, for the moment, she was too weak to even cry anymore. When the sobs faded, he finally cleared his throat and began to speak.

"How could you?" He asked, his voice was full of pain and betrayal.

For a very long time she was silent. Honestly, there was nothing she could say. She had not told him about the baby. If she really tried, she could have easily just been out with it, instead, she used every little bump in the road as an excuse not to. Now it was too late and he saw what she had done as an act of deep dishonesty.

He spoke again, this time his voice was emotionless. "All I want to know if why, Cat." he took her hand. "I do not blame you for losing the baby. I spoke to the doctors. They explained it was honestly a miracle you even conceived again after the pregnancy you had with Carter. I just need to know why you didn't tell me, is it because of Alyssa?"

Her eyes met his, they looked so sad, her lip trembled, she could feel a whole new round of tears coming on. "No!" She cried. "Yes, I don't know! I was scared, Beck! I didn't know if I would end up alone all over again!"

He took a step back, clearly wounded. "Are you going to hold that over my head forever?"

She leaned into the pillow. "No," she whispered quietly. "I don't want to fight with you anymore, Beck. I can't handle it anymore." Her eyes burned with the tears she refused to let fall.

Beck felt like he had been punched in the gut. He had been fully prepared to fight Cat tooth and nail here in this hospital room. He never expected her to just throw in the figurative towel. It made him realized, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, she was still fragile, just as she had been all those years ago when she had been his Cat. She was still sensitive and hated confrontation, despite the armor she had built around herself.

"Then why have you been fighting me every step of the way?" he murmured.

She wiped a few stray tears quickly from her face, he pretended not to notice. "I was angry. I think I get that opportunity."

He hung his head. It always had to come back to this, they needed to resolve this here and now. "I know, you do. I was a child who didn't get his way and gave up on the greatest opportunity of my life. If I could go back in time, Cat, you have to believe I would have been there for you every single step of the way."

She gave him a weak smile, her hand caressed his cheek. "But you can't, that is the problem."

All she wanted Beck to understand was that his sins were not so easily forgiven. Yes, she understood she may have been a bit harsher than she should have; and if she did not have Carter to worry about she would have taken the Canadian back in a heartbeat. Then there was Alyssa.

"I was more than ready to forgive you, but you slept with me, then I met your girlfriend, or shall I say fiancee." She did not say it with any sort of sarcasm or malice, they were going to have this conversation like adults.

His face flushed in embarrassment and a bit of anger, it was more so directed at him than her, "I know, but I know you might not believe me, but I was going to break up with her when she got home that day. She just so happened to get back before Carter left." It was true, but he knew it came out sounding like a poorly executed lie.

Somehow, Cat did believe him. When she really paid attention, she always knew when Beck was lying to her, they had known one another for years, even if they had fallen away from one another. "Why didn't you?"

He climbed into the bed beside her and made himself comfortable, she didn't refused, it felt nice to have him this close to her, it wasn't romantic, it was more like...friends. She knew if they ever wanted to get back to what they once were they needed to be friends again first.

"I got caught up." he admitted. "She seemed so supportive of Carter, well at first, then she started making all of these off handed comments and being rude to Carter. I tried to do it before she left, but she didn't take it well. She said we would talk about it when she got back next month."

Cat felt a bit sympathetic for him, at the same time, the vengeful part of her thought her deserved it. "Maybe you need to show her, instead of tell her."

He gave pointed look. Was she suggesting what he thought she was suggesting? She giggled and punched his arm lightly.

"Not me! Throw her shit out in the road!" She leaned her head on his arm, she was beginning to feel very tired again, by the looks of the darkness of the sky just outside the window, it was somewhere in the middle of the night.

The lazily threw his arm around her shoulder and allowed her to snuggle into his grasp, he missed this so much, Alyssa had never been one to cuddle, she had been clingy. Cat had always loved to cuddle. Touch had been her way to show her emotions that she never could quite put into words.

"When can I go home?" she asked softly, she was beginning to drift off to sleep.

He planted a soft kiss on her forehead, he was glad for her sleep, just as glad that they had finally gotten their spat out of the way. He knew they still had a long way to go, they still had the baby to mourn, Carter to raise, and Alyssa to get rid of, but in that moment everything had begun to finally look up for him. "In the morning. Sleep now, I will be here when you wake up."

"I am so sorry about the baby." She whispered, her voice cracked a little.

He shushed her with comforting words and rubbed her arm, the one not connected to the IV until she had drifted off to sleep. He too finally allowed himself to relax with a smile on his face.

**:) Fluff makes me all fluffy inside! (Yeah it's 3:30AM here and I have been awake since 5:45AM YESTERDAY! So I am a wee bit delirious!)**

**I want to thank my reviewers: ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheDreamer006; ChasingMidnight; Fallspring99; 2007grace ; xxRAINBOWunicornsXX (You are all amazing and deserve statues erected in your honor!)**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	12. Chapter 12

**I am sorry for the wait, I decided to give myself a bit of a break. So hopefully the length of this chapter will make up for your wait. This chapter is just mostly fluff. So with my trusty Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack to keep my company, as well as the ever annoying presidential election and my new dog Milo :) I write!**

The New Normal

Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 12

"So what are you doing again?" Jade asked in an annoyed tone, not that she did not want to be here, there were few places she would rather be, she just didn't feel like doing Beck Oliver any favors.

Beck sighed deeply, they had been through this already. "I am going to the apartment to clean up, we can't have her, or Carter, seeing all of that blood. Plus I am going to do something I know will make her feel better."

Jade had her doubts. Beck had been gone most of the passed four years. How could he possibly know what would make Cat feel better anymore? Not to mention, Jade was the one who had gone through this before.

He gave her a pleading look. "Trust me, Jade, we talked a lot last night. I want to be here for her. Regardless of your feeling towards me, that was my child as well. Cat and I need to mourn together."

There were few people in Jade's life who could oh fully render her fully speechless the way Beck Oliver just had. He was completely right. She could painfully remember how broken Andre was when she lost their baby. She had wanted nothing more than to hold him, but he had drawn into himself. At the time she wasn't sure if the marriage would survive, but Cat showed her that everyone grieves differently. Now they had Aria, she could deny Beck the chance to grieve the way he needed.

"Fine, Oliver, but if you make this worse, I swear I will murder you." She relented. "What about Bucket?"

Beck smiled to himself at the nickname and the fact that hardass Jade West used something so childish and endearing.

"I will get him." Beck said firmly. "We are doing this as a family."

She frowned. "Cat is going to be really sore and depressed, she lost a baby, a human, Beck, not a puppy." Jade spoke slowly as if she were speaking to an ignorant child. "I can keep him for a few days."

He battled internally. "We will just ask her."

Jaded gave a hollow laugh. "Cat? You know she won't want to be a bother, she probably would not be in this hospital if she hadn't passed out."

"I understand, but the first person she asked for for when she woke up last night was Carter. Honestly, if you lost a kid, wouldn't you want the two you have now right beside you? She had a nightmare he disappeared."

That cut Jade to the quick. She understood, when she lost her baby all she wanted was to hold Logan in her arms. She too had the nightmares the he simply disappeared into thin air. Dammit! Beck was getting on her nerves!

"Fine, go, do... whatever it is you are doing." She waved him off and entered Cat's room without another word.

Cat stared blankly out of the window. She made no move to acknowledge Jade when she came in.

"Cat?" the former goth called softly, she did not want to startle the poor girl on the bed.

Cat's eyes did not leave the window when she spoke. "Am I a bad mother?" her voice was dry and hollow.

Jade winced. "Cat, no!" She got between Cat and her staring place. "No, honey"

The tiny brunette's eyes filled with tears. "I lost my baby. Just lost it! Two weeks ago! And I didn't even know!"

Her best friend sat on the bed. She drew the shaking girl into her arms like a small child. "Cat, you were early in your pregnancy. Things like this happen. It is not your fault the baby is gone. The doctors said it was inevitable."

The girl's sobs did not cease, the new day had brought new pain for her lost baby. She leaned into her friend's embrace and allowed the pain to flow out of her until she felt hollow.

"It's okay to cry, Cat" Jade assured her. "Sometimes, it's the only thing that helps. Remember, you taught me that."

Cat sniffled and looked up at Jade, her doe eyes were so full of pain and it sent a pang of hurt through Jade's heart.

"When can I go home?" she hiccuped. "I just want my bed."

Jade thought about whatever wacky idea Beck had planned to supposedly make Cat feel better. She hoped it worked. "As soon as Beck is back."

Cat was confused. "Beck?"

"They have to release you to someone, with the concussion you can't drive. Then they don't want you to be alone because of the...well, you know." she shifted uncomfortably.

In Cat's mind, Beck was coming to get her because Jade couldn't be bothered. The ravened haired beauty caught on it.

"He wants to, I offered." She explained quickly. "He wants to be there for you." She put a hand on Cat's shoulder. "Stop being so stubborn and let him for a change."

The smaller girl let out a low giggle. "Imagine, me, the stubborn one." She covered her mouth to stifle the smile.

Jade laughed aloud and pulled her friend's hand down. "It's okay to smile, Cat."

Cat's smile dropped from her face, she busied herself with picking invisible lint from the thin blanket covering her legs. "It doesn't feel like it."

"Mommy!" A voice broke the two girls apart. A huge smile came to Cat's face, she couldn't hide this one.

"Carter." She said with as much excitement as she could muster, though it wasn't much.

They boy ran over to the bed, followed closely by an exasperated and out of breath Beck. "I broughts flowers." He held up a single pink rose with a white ribbon tied around it, Cat's heart rose at the gesture. She took the gift and leaned to give him a kiss but was unable to due to a sudden burst of pain.

"I got it!" Beck called, he grabbed the small boy by the hips and sat him between Cat and Jade. "Remember, buddy, be careful."

Carter gave him a serious nod. "Is this your bedroom?" he gave the bare hospital room a once over. His face flushed when all the adults laughed.

"No, honey." Cat assured, "We are going home soon, were you good at Aunt Jade's?"

He smiled. "I am a hero!" he bounced, it caused both women to wince.

"Bucket, easy!" his mother chided, her hand went to her stomach. "I heard, you saved Mommy's life, thank you."

He beamed at the adoration. "Fanks Mommy, I keeped you warm and didn't touches the sticky stuffs, I gots hungy but I opened the fridrater and gots cawots. And I used the big boy potty! I was a big boy! I didn't go outside or nothin'!"

Cat's throat closed with an influx of emotion. She hated that her son had to do all of that while she lay passed out on the floor, she just counted her blessings that Beck came by that day.

"I'm going to go. It's about Aria's feeding time. I only left a couple bottles" Jade stood, she kissed Cat's temple then took the smaller girl's hands in her own. "If you need me, any time, for anything, call. It doesn't matter, if you think it's stupid or if it is three in the morning, got it?"

Cat gave her a weak smile, but nodded. Jade let her go and turned to Carter, who was studying Cat's IV with mischievous interest.

"And you, Bucket," The boy snapped to attention, "Take care of your Mom, you have to keep up that hero status."

The boy puffed out his small chest as he nodded confidently.

"Bye Oliver." Jade finished with Beck. "Don't make me regret this."

After Jade left, a nurse came in saying the doctor was running a bit late from lunch and had yet to sign the release papers. The little 'family' was forced to stay in the tiny room. Soon Carter was getting bored.

"When we leavin'?" he whined after only ten minutes.

Beck groaned, it had to be the tenth time he had asked that question. "Soon"

The boy was not happy with the answer and the repeated his question to his mother.

"Cater, you know what?" Cat sat straighter in the bed, "Mommy has something to tell you."

Beck even looked at her curiously. Was she going to tell him about the baby?

She patted the seat beside her, the small boy crawled up and curled carefully beside her. Beck tried to catch her eye, but she wouldn't allow it.

"Okay, now." She began with a deep breath. "You know that your Mommy love you a whole lot right?"

Carter smiled up at her and nodded. Of course he knew that!

"Well do you remember all those times you asked me about your Daddy?"

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He nodded carefully. Daddy? Where was Mommy getting at?

"Well, remember, I did tell you that you had a daddy, but he was somewhere far away?"

Across the room, Beck was on the edge on his chair, she was finally telling him! His heart was soaring. Was he supposed to say something?

"Carter, your daddy is here." The boy's eyes lit up. "You know him. Beck is your Daddy." Carter's tiny jaw dropped. Both adults in the room watched for the boom. Luckily, at his tender age, Carter was not angry.

"Really?" he whispered, he didn't know if he should believe it. Sometimes he pretended Beck was his daddy but Mommy never told him different.

Mommy nodded. Beck approached the bed. "If you like, you can call me Daddy now, or Beck, either is okay." he told him gently. He didn't want to push. As much as he wanted everything, he knew this was a big adjustment for the small boy.

Carter tapped his chin in his thoughtful way. "Daddy Buck?" he finally asked innocently.

Tears came to Beck's eyes. He had been waiting nearly three years to hear that magic word. It warmed his heart and sent his soaring. The small boy flung hims into his arms. Over his head, he mouthed a 'thank you' to the woman who made all of this possible.

An hour after Cat's confession, Carter had not stopped telling his 'new-found' father all about his life. Beck knew most of the stories already, having lived a few of them, but it made his heart melt that the small boy began each story with 'Daddy Buck.'

Cat had been discharged, on strict bedrest orders and the three of them set off in Beck's car. "Oh, Beck, you can just drop me off and take Carter if you want." she yawned. "I am kinda tired."

"I am not leaving you alone. I've already been to the apartment and cleaned things up. Please I have surprise." He gave her a wink.

She returned it with a hard look, but kept silent. She really didn't feel like any surprises, but she remembered what Jade had said. She needed to just give him a chance.

Once they arrived at the apartment, Beck wrapped her arm around his shoulder, Carter did his own part by take hi her free hand. Together, they slowly made their way inside.

She took a deep breath, an overwhelming fear gripped her when she entered, this was the place where she lost her baby! Beck sensed her discomfort.

"Buddy, go get your jammies on, I have a surprise for you and Mom. Meet us back here. Bring your blankie and teddy bear. It's a sleepover!"

The little boy's eyes gleamed with excitement, he jumped in placed and clapped excitement, "Okay Daddy!"

"A sleepover?" Cat asked disapprovingly, she sat lightly on the sofa.

Beck gave her a smile. "No just any sleepover, a 'Cat Valentine Sleepover" he waved his arms for dramatic effect.

The woman before him stared as if he grew another head. "Beck, I just got out of the hospital, plus, I don't get what you mean by," she raised her fingers in air quotes. "A Cat Valentine Sleepover"

He kneeled down in front of her. "Trust me, I am not talking painting out nails or dying our hair, though, if you wanted, we totally could I guess. But this will be relaxing. I am on a mission to get my old Cat back."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked half-heartedly.

He leaned in a kissed her nose before she could protest. "I put your pjs in the bathroom. Get dressed. Stay out of the bedroom. That is where the surprise is." He stood. "I am going to get Carter dressed before he comes down the hall in his Halloween costume."

She sat there, stunned. Had she really just let Beck boss her? Her cheeks went pink when she though that he had been in her bedroom. Shouldn't she feel more uncomfortable with that? She pushed her thoughts away and made her way to the bathroom.

"What is it?" Carter asked, his head cocked to the side.

Beck grinned like a Cheshire cat, Cat glared, this was not the surprise she had in mind.

"It's a TV, a 53 inch." Beck explained.

"Big."

"Yes, too big." Cat grumbled as she pulled herself up on the bed, she was getting more and more unsure about this.

Beck lifted his son on the bed and sat down himself as if he belonged. When Cat made no objection, he relaxed. He grabbed the remote off the bedside table.

"What is this Beck?" the woman pressed.

"The Cat Valentine I knew loved one thing more, well me," he shot her a goofy grin that was not returned. "Was Disney movies." he could see her eyes light up the slightest bit.

"Disney?" Carter repeated from between them, "What that?"

Beck shook his head. "You have deprived my child. I had to suffer my entire teenage years watching these movies with you and you haven't let him watch a single one?"

She shook her head. "I didn't want him to be like me." She mumbled she looked down at her son, who was looking at the remote with rapt attention.

"Why? I thought you were pretty amazing."

Her eyes filled with tears. "I was not! I was an airhead. No one took me seriously. I wanted my son to be different. I wan him to see the real world and not live in the fantasy worlds I lived in."

His jaw dropped. Suddenly he understood a few things. The lack of TV, candy. "But you were an optimist. You always saw the bright side of things."

"But things aren't always bright, I think we just proved proved that."

He nodded, she was right, he guessed. "I guess your right, but one day, things will be good again." He ended the conversation, it was getting too painful. He clicked the remote and the massive TV come to life, beside him Carter gasped.

"What is it?" the tiny boy asked as the movie began.

"Lady and the Tramp!" Cat was amazed he remembered, she snuck a look over at Beck.

Back in her teen years, she had been a cartoon watching freak. She had adored the simplicity and happy ending of each one. Beck however, despised them. She searched high and low and came up with a few that he might like. So between '_The Black Cauldron_,' Beck's personal favorite and '_Alice in __Wonderland_,' Cat's favorite, '_Lady and the Tramp_' had became dubbed 'their' movie.

He only winked at her and spent the movie answering Carter's many questions. She settled back into the pillows and rested one hand on her now empty mid-section. Her thoughts were lost as she faintly listened to the familiar dialogue of a movie she once knew by heart. As much as the loss of her baby hurt, maybe it was some higher power's way of pushing her and Beck back towards one another.

**:) Fluff **

**I am sorry for the wait, but I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it! I just wanted to get this all out of the way and written out! The rest of the story will probably be mostly fluffy! I think you deserve it, don't you?**

**I want to thank my reviewers (All 10!): ****HopeFaithandGrace; TheDreamer006; ChasingMidnight; CourtsxBatFan; Fallspring99; sweetStarre123; majaxx; Guest; EmLovesBat xxRAINBOWunicornsXX **

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	13. Chapter 13

**I am sorry for the wait, I must say, I am not a fan of this chapter, but I wanted to give you something, I hope it isn't too terrible!**

The New Normal

Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 13

"Okay, Bucket, you spread your fingers wide like this." Cat explained as she opened her hand as wide as possible in demonstration, her son followed suit. "Now dip it in the orange paint."

He excitedly smashed his tiny hand down in the bright orange paint, he had been most excited for this part of the project since his mother had squirted the sticky stuff on the paper plate and told him not to touch it until it was time. "Oh! It's cold!" He squealed as the paint oozed between his tiny fingers.

Cat giggled as she grabbed his wrist. "Alright, now, now we press our hand on the paper." She flipped his hand over and pressed it into the blank sheet of off-white construction paper. "Count to three." She instructed.

Carter watched her carefully as she pressed on different parts of his hands gently, it didn't hurt, but it was confusing, what was supposed to happen after three? "One. Two. Free!" he pulled his hand out of her grasp and clapped excitedly, effectively getting orange paint on his clean hand, as well as slinging some excess on Cat's face. "Look, Mommy! It's my hand!"

His mother gabbed the nearest towel and cleaned the two of them up. "I see! And what a pretty hand you have!" She kissed his now clean hands. "Now, let this dry and Mom will show you how to make a turkey out of it."

The boy looked up at her. "A turkey?" he asked in awe, he looked at the orange handprint on the paper. "How?"

She giggled at his confusion. "Give it time to dry, we can't have a wet and smudged turkey, do you want to help Mama cook?"

It was Thanksgiving Day, as well as Carter's third birthday. Cat hated that the days happened to fall on the same day this year. Everywhere she had planned to take him was closed. Andre and Jade were out of town at their own family obligations. Her parents were too busy with their own lives to show up, and Beck had Alyssa to deal with.

The girl had returned just yesterday, throwing a huge wrench in all of the progress and plans Beck and Cat had made over the passed few weeks. Sure it wasn't much, but they had at least made an effort to be friends and become a makeshift family for Carter's sake. They had planned to spend the holiday together, but the starlet threw a Hollywood style tantrum, that Cat still couldn't believe Beck fell for, and now he was off somewhere with her. Cat was disappointed to say the least.

"Is Daddy coming today?" Carter asked, he kept peaking over at the still drying handprint.

He knew it was a special day, Mommy sang a special song when she woke him up this morning. She had told him that she had gift for him after dinner. He just wondered if today was so special, where was his father.

Cat didn't want to lie to her son, but she also didn't have all of the answers, she silently cursed Beck. "I'm not sure, baby."

"But, it's my birfday!" he whined, repeating the word she had used numerous times that day.

Cat winced, but she hid it by returning to the stove. It was going to be a small Thanksgiving this year. She hated that her son was going to be with just her on his birthday, and the holiday. Believe it or not, Thanksgiving used to be her favorite holiday.

"What is fanksgiving?" Carter asked, he was now sitting at the table, absently gluing feathers and dumping too much glitter on his turkey handprint.

"It's a holiday in which we give thanks for all the blessings that we have been given." Cat explained as she stirred the corn and other vegetables on the stove, lunch was nearly ready.

"Blessens?"

"Like your toys and all the things in life that make you happy." She told in him a way that he could understand.

"You make me happy." he said, not even looking up. "Are you my blessen?"

Cat felt her heart tighten in her chest and tears sprang to her eyes. She abandoned her cooking for a moment and swept her son into her arms. She didn't care that he was covered in glue and glitter. "You are my blessing, Carter Beckett Valentine." She kissed all over his face until he could barely breath for giggling. "You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

He giggled and pulled away. "You are a silly mommy."

She feigned hurt. "Mommy is a lot of things, but silly is not one of them!"

His little breaths came in pants as he fought to control his laughter. She tickled mercilessly. "Stop!" He squeaked. "Stop, Mommy!"

She stopped. "Okay, enough funny business, go wash up, we are eating soon. I will put mister Turkey on the counter." She sat him on the floor and watched as he scampered off towards the bathroom.

During lunch, her son had a hundred questions.

"Why turkey?" He asked as she piled his plate with all of the delicious food.

"It was what the pilgrims and the Indians ate. Remember the book we read last night during cuddle time?"

He nodded between mouthfuls of mashed potatoes. "But it said family."

She dropped her fork. "We are family."

"Daddy? Aunt Jadey? Dre? Wogan? Ari?" His eyes filled with tears.

She could feel a lump forming in her throat. "They are busy today."

"Busy? On howiday?" He sat his untisels down and pushed them away.

Cat was at a loss. How did one explain something like this to a three year old? Everyone had somewhere else they needed to be, except her.

"Jade and Dre had Nana and Papa Harris to go see. Logan and Aria went with them." she explain slowly. "As for Daddy." How did she explain Beck? "He had somewhere to be."

Her son did not like that answer; her gave her a glare that reminded her so much of his father. "I'm not hungry." He hopped off of his booster seat and headed for his bedroom.

Cat shoved her own plate away so roughly that the glassware shattered as it clattered with another dish. She buried her head in her hands and began to cry. She cursed Beck for not being here, she cursed herself for upsetting Carter on his birthday. She was just ready for Thanksgiving to be over.

After a long while, she dried up the tears and went to Carter. He was quietly playing with his favorite green fire truck. She sat quietly beside him and sat his present down between them He glared at her for a moment before returning to his toy. Soon, though, his curiosity got the better of him.

"What is it?" He asked as he eyed the brightly wrapped package.

She smiled, he could never stay angry for long, that was one trait she was glad he had inherited from her. She pushed the present closer to him. "Open it and see!"

In excitement, he grabbed the gift off the floor and ripped it open. He squealed when he got to the gift inside. "A raffy!"

She beamed as he hugged the giraffe. He loved the animals, not that she could blame him, they were her favorite as well. She still had Mr. Purple somewhere in her bedroom and he had inherited Mr. Longneck when he was born. She knew it wasn't some great extravagant gift, but she did not want to spoil her son on birthdays and Christmas. One thing that she hated most was an ungrateful gift recipient.

"Do you like him?"

Carter giggled and nodded. "I do! I love him!" He threw his arms around his mother. "Fanks, Mommy!" He gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "I gotta show him to Misser Wongneck!"

She wished he could see a real giraffe. Over the years, they either hadn't had time or money to go to the zoo. Now that Beck was around maybe she could get him to go with them.

"How about we take him to the park?" She asked suddenly, Cat was suddenly tired of spending her holiday cooped up in the tiny apartment.

The park was blissfully empty. Carter and Cat settled on swinging together, they used to do it all the time, but hadn't had time in so long, she missed it dearly. She maneuvered him so he was straddling her lap and began to lazily swing them back and forth.

"I wish Daddy came for my birfday fanksgiving." Carter said as he yawned and laid his head on his mother's chest.

She had her arms wrapped protectively around the small boy as she kicked her feet to send them higher. "I know, honey, he maybe just forgot." It was lame, but no one had even called the small boy today. She figured they all forgot in the hustle and bustle of the holiday.

"And elepant never forgets." the boy quoted sleepily. Beck had him watch _The Jungle Book_ the other day, so far it was his favorite movie.

Cat chuckled softly and kissed his head. "You're right, Mommy never forgets either."

The child burrowed deeper into the warmth of his mother's chest. There was no better place on earth than right here in her arms. She make him feel so safe and loved. Mommy could never leave him.

"I love you, Mommy." He mumbled as he drifted off to sleep.

Cat carried her half-asleep son up the flight of stairs leading to their apartment. She couldn't help but think about how big he was getting. Before she knew it, he was going to be all grown up and she would be all alone. She quickly pushed the depressing thoughts from her head. Today she was supposed to be thankful, not self loathing.

After fumbling with the keys for a moment, Cat was finally able to open the door. She absently threw the keys on the table beside the door and flicked on the light.

"Surprise!" Came a loud chorus, she nearly dropped her now wide awake son.

She was in shock, her apartment had been transformed into a birthday/Thanksgiving party and all of her friends and family stood before her.

"Daddy!" Carter squealed, he raised his arms to be taken.

"Happy birthday, buddy!" Beck kissed his head, he gave Cat a look, "Come on, Kitty, you didn't really think we would leave the two of you all alone today of all days did you?"

**I hope you like it!**

**I want to thank my reviewers :**

**HopeFaithandGrace: I am glad you liked how I dealt with the whole 'Telling Carter' I was worried! You are my most loyal reviewer and thank you!**

**Guest: Thanks! :)**

**; EmLovesBat: Thanks you so much! I realized I never really explained why Cat never allowed her son to have sweets and to watch movies. I can see her being afraid, escpecially after Beck left, of him turning out like her. And I have written out some flashbacks. This story originally began with a flashback! They just never fit to me!**

**XxRAINBOWunicornsXX: Thank so you so much! You are amazing!**

**Luteana: Wow! Thank you so much! I hope this chapter was up to par!**

**Sweetstarre123: :) Thanks :) Maybe some red hair dye is in Cat's future, or is that silly?**

**CourtsxBatFan: Thanks you for your support! I love your story as well!**

**Digidestend Angel: Thank you so much! I love you stories so much as well! (And can I just say, I used to watch Digimon religiously?) **

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	14. Chapter 14

**I just wanted to give you another little chapter! This is just a fluffy Bat filled chapter, I am in a good mood today and your reviews all made me smile! Thank you all so much! I hope you enjoy!**

The New Normal

Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 14

"You know, sometimes you never cease to amaze me." Cat whispered as she and Beck stood in the doorway of a sleeping Carter's bedroom.

Beck gave a low chuckle and carelessly threw his arm over her shoulder. He liked seeing her as happy as she had been all evening. There was no better sight in his book than the sight of seeing her eyes lighting up when everyone yelled 'surprise.' "I think someone needs to keep you on your toes." he joked, "It keeps you young and fit."

She scoffed as she gave her son one last look before flicking the light off and closing the door, leaving the sleeping child in his bed, surrounded by his new horde of stuffed animals.

"That's what I have a son for." She retorted in a good natured way, she made her way too the living room, picking up paper plates and empty plastic cups as she went. "I am very grateful you came. I was worried everyone forgot. Or that no one cared." Her bottom lip trembled slightly.

Beck felt terrible. There had been nothing more that he wanted all day than to be with Cat and Carter. But Alyssa showed up, threatening to spill all sorts of career damming rumors and he was at a loss. He did not want the tabloids to get a hold of a bogus story about his son and Cat, then ripping the two of them to shreds. He needed to protect them For now, the only way to do that was to go along with Alyssa's childish tantrums, just until his publicist could figure something out. At least she still didn't know about the baby, he intended to keep it that way as long as possible, forever if the fates were in his favor. In a perfect world, he would keep them out of the limelight all together.

"I would never do that to him." he lifted her chin so she would look into his eyes. "Face it, Cat, you're stuck with me."

She gave him a watery smile. "There are worse things I can think of, I guess. At least I have someone to help me clean up this mess."

He gave a deep laugh. "Well played Miss Valentine, well played."

The two made their way around the small room and kitchen, clearing the remnants of the small party as the went. It had been quite the get together. Everyone who loved the small boy had showed up, even Jade and Andre, much to Cat's delight and surprise. They partied way passed the three year old's bedtime. No wonder he crashed out around midnight.

"Who knew our son was such a party animal." Beck mused as he threw a wad of multicolored streamers into an open trashbag.

"He likes to dance in his undies just like his father!" Cat giggled.

The man blushed deeply; he bumped his hip against hers, almost knocking her over. "That was one time, and it was just a dare."

"The dare was to dance on my parents' antique table, the undies were all you!" Cat countered, "I quite like the view though!"

Both of them froze at her comment. Did she really just say that? She could have slapped herself. For a moment neither of them said a word. They refused to meet one another's gaze. Finally, when they did, they both burst into a fit of giggles. Soon, exhausted, they fell back side by side on the couch, clutching their now aching stomachs.

"That was such a good night." Beck sighed as he remembered the night nearly six years ago, had it really been that long ago?

Cat agreed with a slight nod of her head between residual laughs. She had so many happy memories with the man sitting beside her. He put a hand on her knee and gave it a friendly squeeze before beginning to draw lazy circles on it absently. "It's nice to hear you laugh again, Kitty," his head rested on the back of the sofa, his fingers were distracting her and clouding her vision. "So good." she shut his eyes and sighed in contentment.

Cat's body was steadily growing extremely, uncomfortably overheated. Somewhere in her mind, she knew she should not be sitting here in this particular position, with this particular man. Even after everything that had happened to the two of them, there was still too many unresolved feelings. One spark could start an uncontrollable fire. They had proven that theory once already.

"Cat?" He asked, his voice was deep and breathy, his hand traveled farther upwards towards her thigh.

She gulped, obviously he was feeling the same way she was, well, at least partly. He leaned over for a kiss, she sprung up, headbutting him square in the nose in the process.

"Oww! Dammit!" he groaned as his hands grasped his now bleeding nose.

She was in shock. Her head was spinning in so many circles at the moment that she couldn't quite wrap her head around what had just happened. Her hands covered her mouth. "I am so sorry, Beck! Let me get you a towel!" she darted off towards the bathroom.

Once inside, she allowed herself to breath for a moment. She faintly thought about the fact that he was bleeding all over her crème colored couch, probably ruining the fabric for life. She splashed water on her own face and fought to regain some sense of composure. Once she deemed herself fit, she wet a wash cloth and raced back to Beck, who was still moaning and groaning on the couch. She handed him the cloth and took a step back, blood had always made her a bit queasy.

"Do you think it is broken?" She squeaked in fear, she would never be able to live with herself if she had broke Beck's nose.

He gave her a nasally mumble that she was only able to take as a no. He pressed the cloth to stifle the blood and tilted his head back. Cat felt worse than ever.

She stood there dumbly for a few moments, then made herself busy cleaning the remainder of the party leftovers, all the while shooting guilty glances over at Beck across the room.

Once there was nothing left to clean, she hovered at the bar, too afraid to approach him. She noticed his shoulders were shaking the slightest bit. _Oh hell! I've made him cry!_ She screamed in her head. She took tentative steps forward and put a shaky hand on his shoulder, "Beck?" she walked around the couch to face him, she couldn't believe she made him cry. When she saw his face, she was me with a sight. He was laughing! She slapped his arm.

"Oww! Cat!" He grabbed his stinging arm. "Don't you think one serious injury is enough for one night?" He tried to stay serious, but he was failing miserably.

"Obviously I didn't hurt you enough! I can't believe you are sitting over here laughing! I felt horrible!" She huffed and put her hands on her hips.

As try as he might, every time he looked up at her stern face, what little composure he had managed to regain was lost and he once again dissolved in a fit of boyish giggles, she couldn't help but feel the corners of her own mouth twitching as she fought a smile.

"I would really just like to know what is so funny, Mister Oliver." she growled, she was done with him, she returned to her post at the bar.

Beck stood. "I'm sorry, but if you really didn't want to kiss me Cat, all you had to do was say so. You didn't have to go as far as to break my nose!" he told her in a semi-serious tone.

"I said I was sorry! And you said it wasn't broken!" She replied, she threw a plastic fork at his head. Her face broke into a wide smile, she was so happy he was not upset with her.

The man crossed the room to stand in front of her. His face was all serious now. "Cat, all jokes aside, why did you pull away from me?"

She could feel her face heat up in a familiar blush of embarrassment. That was defiantly one question she wished he hadn't asked her. Unable to find an answer, she just shrugged her shoulders, not looking him in the eye.

"Come on Cat." he murmured, he took a step closer. "I endured endless stories in highschool about your crazy brother and now your telling you have nothing to say? What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" That drew a slight smile to her face. "There is my favorite smile."

"Stop," She skirted around him and sat on the couch. "Please, Beck!" She could not believe she was resorting to begging.

He was stung and understanding all at the same time. He should have known not to push her, but at the same time, her rejection was wounding him. Quickly, he followed her to the couch. He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his.

"I am sorry." He whispered in a soothing voice, he didn't want to scare her more than he already had. "I am being too forward. But, well, you don't know how hard it is, how hard it's been over these passed few months just to swallow my feelings."

She could feel the prick of tears gathering in her eyes. She had known all along that he still had feelings for her, hell, the she still had feelings for him, but she just didn't want to rush anything.

"I understand." She began. "I agree."

His head snapped up, he looked at her hopefully. "But" His face fell. "But, we can't rush anything, we can't just run head first into something, I want to be with you so bad that I can taste it, Beck, but you still haven't gotten rid of Alyssa! Today proved that!"

He wished he could explain the Alyssa situation to her, but he really didn't want to bring her into that mess, it would only stress her out even more. "I am trying Cat, Alyssa is dead to me, but she is life an infected limb, I am just waiting to saw her off."

Cat made a face and covered her ears. "Graphic."

He took her hands in hers once again. "I will tell you what, let me get rid of the infected limb, then we can start, slowly, don't worry, snail pace is fine with me."

Cat smiled, she was so happy that Beck finally understood where she was coming from. Caught up in the moment, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

**I hope you like it! Hopefully it wasn't too silly and stupid, but I enjoyed writing this chapter...the ending was a little bit wonky, but I am trying to set up for our two favorite people to start become a couple!**

**I want to thank my reviewers :**

**HopeFaithandGrace: Thank you for your continued support, I always can't wait to see what you review, you never fail to make me smile!**

**Guest: Thanks! And I have been thinking about adding but this far in I just am not sure!**

**Guest: Thanks!**

**TheDreamer006: Thanks! I'm glad it wasn't too cheesy!**

**EmLovesBat: Thank you so much, I loved writing that part!**

**XxRAINBOWunicornsXX: Thank so you so much! You are amazing!**

**CourtsxBatFan: Thanks you for your support! I love your story as well! I can't remember if I reviewed, I read it on my phone it is screwy, but I love your new chapter!**

**Fallspring99: Thanks so much! :)**

**BrownieStick: I am glad no one was expecting the end! That made it all the better! Thanks for your review!**

**READ AND REVIEW!**

**Jessy**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hi, lovelies! I just wanted to give you a quick chapter to tie you over, I had this written up and was not planning on using it, it is just a bit of a filler and doesn't really provide any major story moments, but I am trying to come up with how I want things to progress with this story! I love you all! Thank you for the wonderful reviews and I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving! (Mine included a VERY random 4 hour round trip car ride with my brother, it was amazing, we listened to music and rocked out, we had to pick up something in a town 2hours away, on ThaNksgiving!) **

The New Normal

Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 15

"Why?" Was all Cat could say, she was so angry with the man before her at the moment. How could he had been so stupid?

He looked at the ground like a child that had just been scolded and shrugged his shoulders. "Ionno."

_Honestly_, she thought to herself, _he couldn't be any more like his son._ Or is son couldn't be anymore like him, whichever. She was having such a hard time keeping a smile off of her face, she had to show him she was not playing around.

"You really should have known, I mean the kid is terrified of Elmo, what led you to believe the Grinch would be any different?" She could not believe he had let her son watch _How the Grinch Stole Christmas_, the boy had been having nightmares for four days straight.

"He wanted to see it!" Beck defended himself.

She scoffed as she rubbed her aching temple with one hand and gulped down her glass of black coffee with the other. Before Carter she had never touched the stuff, now she felt as if she couldn't make it through an entire day without it. "So? Beck, he is three, not even a week out of the gate! He is my kid for heaven's sake! It's not like his attention span is that big! He is easily distracted. I haven't slept in nearly a week now!" She threw herself dramatically back against the couch.

Beck really did feel bad, he hadn't thought the movie would have such a profound effect on his son. He had begged and begged to watch it after seeing it on Beck's movie shelf, so just to stop the racket , he caved. Now he wished they had gone for _Elf_ or something.

"This is another reason I didn't want him watching movies! He never had nightmares before!" Cat muttered, mostly to herself, "Stupid Beck."

He decided it would be better for the both of them if he did not comment on that one. He knew she was tired. Luckily, Jade offered to take Carter off of their hands for the afternoon, maybe Cat could finally rest.

"You know, ma'am, instead of blaming me," She shot him an accusing look. "Okay, I get it, it is my fault, why don't you rest?"

She huffed defiantly. "Rest?" Her voice was sarcastic, "Rest? I am a mother! When my child is gone I don't get to rest, I get to clean! Look at this place! It is a pigsty! I am embarrassed to have anyone other than you over, because you caused all of this trouble. I have a Christmas tree to put up! Presents to wrap, presents to buy. I need to figure out a new place for that damn Elf on a Shelf, I hate that stupid thing. I need to mail out Christmas cards, go shopping for next week's meals. Beck, I have a million things to do! I can't just rest!"

He waited patiently until her rant was over. She had always been one to spread herself too thin, especially this time of year. Now it was even worse with Carter not sleeping through the night and all, man did he feel guilty.

He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a gentle, yet firm, shake. "Calm yourself, woman." He told her in a stern voice. "I will tell you what we're are going to do. You are going to march right in there and take a nice, long, bubble bath. Don't interrupt me, Caterina," he shook his finger in her face, " Then you are going to go take a long nap while I clean up in here and run to the store."

"You don't know what to get!" She screeched, she was NOT having him doing all of her errands for her! That was just too much like a..._husband_ sort of thing to do.

He rolled his eyes. "Kitty, I can read a grocery list. Just because you get all of that organic and gluten-free stuff, doesn't mean I can't shop for you, you forget, I've been buying groceries for Carter at my house for months."

She opened her mouth to argue, but was simply unable to come up with a suitable rebuttal, Beck had won this round. She cursed herself, he tended to win of the rounds these days. She really needed to step her game.

"Fine," she caved, the very thought of a bubble bath and a nap was just too tempting. "Don't make me regret this, Oliver, and don't come back with buckets of candy."

He beamed and patted her head like one would pet a well-behaved dog. "Good choice." he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, it sent a quick rush of heat through her body, she made no comment. She only scurried off to the bathroom and shut the door, making sure to lock it behind her.

He watched as she fled the room. That had been most of their interactions for the passed few days since their kiss on Thanksgiving night. He thought it was kind of cute to see her all flustered and unable to form proper speech. She was just fighting her feelings for him, he knew she wouldn't do it forever. For now, he would use it to his own advantage.

He decided against continuing to torture her through the closed bathroom door, he knew he would have plenty of opportunity for that when she realized she went in there without any clothes and had to either come out in a towel or ask him to pick out something for her. He only wished she would go for the second option. _So many possibilities. _He made himself busy cleaning up his destructive son's mess.

He cleaned the kitchen first then moved on to the living room, for such a small room, Carter was good at filling it up with nearly every single toy he owned.

"That kid has too many toys." Beck grumbled darkly as he threw the last toy in the overflowing toy box thirty minutes later. "So much for not spoiling him."

"He had no where near that many toys before you showed up." Cat's voice nearly made him jump out of his skin. She spun around and was greeted with her towel-clad body. Her dark hair hung damp over her shoulders.

He gulped and tried to find his voice, but it seemed to have left him as he took in her current state of undress. "I-Um-Shouldn't you get dressed?" his voice came out high and cracked, like a teenaged boy going through puberty. This was not what he had been expecting when he thought about her coming out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel._ She_ was supposed to be the one embarrassed!

Cat giggled and took a step forward. "Why?" her hand gripped the side of the oversized green towel that covered body. "Am I bothering you?" She gave him a seductive smile.

He was unable to breath, or think, as she came closer, the intoxicating scent of her lavender bodywash invaded her senses. "Umm..Cat?" _What the hell is going on?_

She let out another giggle, her hand let go of the towel, his hand replaced it seconds before it fell to the floor. "Aww! Becky!"

He couldn't think clearly, what had gotten into her? What had she done in that bathroom? A kitten went in a a lioness came out. Before he could as anymore questions, her hands raked up and down his chest, his breath became raspy.

"Cat." He was trying to sound firm, but he was failing miserably.

She raised up on her tiptoes and her lips found his neck. They ghosted over his pulse point, he felt weak in the knees. Her fingers threaded themselves in his hair and he was sure he had died and gone to heaven. His hand rested on the small of her back, drawing her closer to his body.

She moved up to whisper in his ear. "Do you like that?" She asked in a husky voice.

Not trusting his voice, he only nodded, earning another giggle, it drove him crazy.

"Good." She pulled herself quickly away from him.

He was dumbfounded. "Wha?"

"I win this round."

She secured the towel around her and walked to her bedroom, leaving him standing in the middle of the room.

**I hope this wasn't too terrible, I just wanted to give you something! I felt like I haven't updated in FOREVER! **

**HopeFaithandGrace: Thank you my love! I love you reviews! That was probably was favorite chapter to write!**

**Guest: I really am not sure if Tori and Robbie will be included, I will try and come up with where they have ended up, but I just really am not a fan of Tori's character and Robbie doesn't fit in this story. (Sorry) But thank you for the review!**

**CourtsxBatFan: Thanks! **

**Gemma: I'm sorry you feel that way. I love Bade as well, but for this story I decided to go with a Bat pairing.**

**TheSpeedOfLove: Thanks! :) Your review makes me smile!**

**ChasingMidnight: I missed seeing your reviews and I love the idea! You are amazing!**

**xxRAINBOWunicornsXX: I LOVE The Vampire Diaries! But I am so behind this season I almost wanna ask you for spoilers but I can't do it! I need to catch up!**

**sweetStarre123: I am sorry if I made it seem like Alyssa is pregnant, she isn't. I meant that as she doesn't know about Cat and Beck miscarriage. Sorry for the confusion deary!**

**Emmalynn: THANKS! I am glad you like this story!**

**I love you all!**

**JessyRae**

**P.S. Do you think this chapter can finally push us over 100 reviews!? :o **


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi my loves! I wrote out this chapter today and I just couldn't wait to post it! I hope you like, I REALLY enjoyed writing it, it is about 2 pages (of my tiny handwriting) longer than my usual chapters but it contains a certain flashback! I hope you enjoy! **

The New Normal

Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 16

"Mommy?" Carter asked as he and his mother sat at the kitchen table. The small boy was coloring, Cat was balancing out the monthly checking account on her laptop. It was a beautiful Saturday morning three weeks before Christmas.

"Hmm?" She asked him absently, she had spent the last ten minutes wracking her brain to figure out how in the world she could have possibly spend that much money at Target last week.

"Can I color my tiger green?" the boy asked her innocently, he had been debating the color for quite some time, it was his favorite, but he knew real tigers were not green.

His mother's head popped away from her screen She gave him a strange look for a moment, then nodded. "Sure, why shouldn't you color him green? You love green."

He gave her a mega-watt smile. "I do!" He was so happy she agreed; Logan never agreed with him. He said you had to color things the way they were in 'nature' but Carter didn't know what nature meant. He didn't go to kindergarten yet.

"Just because real tigers aren't green doesn't mean you can't make your own special ones that color. I used to color mine purple! It's important to have an imagination." Cat told her son seriously. "So, from now on, you color any animal any color you want. As long as you keep what's real and what's make-believe separate, you're good."

Carter hung onto every word, true all he got was that he could color his tiger any color he wanted, no matter what Logan said, but he loved to listen to his Mommy speak. She always sounded so smart! He went back to coloring, she went back to balancing.

"Damn you Beck." She muttered under her breath when she realized it was him who spent the outrageous amount of money at the store last week. It had been the same day as her towel prank. She smiled fondly at the memory of the look on his face and the feeling of him becoming putty in her hands, somethings never change.

When the doorbell rang a half hour later, she hoped it was him so she could pummel him. She stomped to the door with purpose, fulling intending to demand her money back and ask what the hell he could have possibly bought, but she was greeted by a zit faced, greasy haired kid in a backwards baseball hat.

"Umm...Can I help you?" She asked the boy, she pulled the door to, so he couldn't see inside her apartment. She had heard at work the other day about thieves sending little freaks such as this to scope out potential house to rob.

The boy yawned in a bored way and thrust an envelope in her arms. "Here, special delivery or whatever, bye." She spun on his sneakered heel and was gone.

_How bizzare. _Was all Cat would mentally come up with about the whole situation. She closed the door and carried the oversized envelope inside.

Her son bounced over curiously. "What is it?"

She shrugged, it was definitely odd for them to receive something in this manner. She wondered if it was from Beck, if he was still playing at their little game. But a sick feeling in her stomach told her otherwise. "Go play, Bucket, this is Mommy stuff." She ordered her son, in case whatever was inside the package contained something that was not 'Carter appropriate.'

The boy huffed in frustration, but he knew better than to argue with Mommy, that sort of thing only worked on his father. He stomped away to his toybox and pulled out his loudest toy he could find.

"Beck Junior!" Cat sneered at the child. She took the envelope to the kitchen table and quickly ripped it open, she was tired of the suspense. Out dropped a glossy magazine. She picked it up. "Huh?"

She snatched the fallen magazine off the table and read the headline.

"Movie star** Beck Oliver in love child shocker!" **it showed a photo of a somber looking Beck. She felt her face grow hot as she flipped the tabloid open to read the full article on page 27. Her mouth fell open when she saw nearly a dozen photos of her son, Beck, herself, and Alyssa all over the page. She began reading.

_**Over the passed four years, Canadian-born actor Beckett 'Beck' Oliver (24) has taken Hollywood by storm with his charming good looks and the fresh newness he brings to the silver screen. He has played in summer blockbusters such as 'Transformers 5 (Replacing Shia Lebouf) and 'Love Me Tender' (where he showed off his romantic side) He has also starred in a handful of studio and indie films.**_

_**Oliver has been in a two year relationship with the lovely Alyssa Vaughn (22) The two met on the Love Me Tender set. The couple were recently engaged. **_

_**But the shocker comes from an unnamed source claiming that Oliver has broken off his engagement with Vaughn and recently reunited with his estranged ex-girlfriend Caterina 'Cat' Valentine (24) of the Hollywood Valentines and apparently the two share a three year old son, Carter, whom Oliver has just met!**_

"_**I knew nothing about the child." Says Vaughn, "Beck never mentioned him, or Valentine, I'm not even sure if Carter is Beck's, he is just take HER word for it!"**_

_**The couple dated in high school and during Oliver's brief stint in college.**_

"_**She never told him she was pregnant," Vaughn explains, "Beck was devastated when he found out, he just missed so much of Carter's life! Cat just ruined everything for him!"**_

_**Oliver's came refuses comment at this time and we are unable to reach Miss Valentine, we will update you as this story continues!**_

Cat dropped the magazine and covered her mouth to keep from screaming. She could feel angry tears coursing down her cheeks. How could Beck allow something like this to print? It was all lies! It made her seem like such a terrible person who kept a boy away from his father. That had never been the case! She would have done anything for Beck to have been there with her! Even have gone to stupid Africa!

**Flashback 3yr & 8months ago**

"_Shit, shit, shit!" Cat kept mumbling over and over to herself as she paced back and forth. Normally she was not one to curse, but situations like this called for a little curing. Sooner or later she was sure she would end up wearing a hole in the floor, but at the moment she really didn't care. She had not clue what she was going to do! She was freaking out!_

_Her first thought was to call Jade, after all, her best friend had gone through this very same thing just over a year ago and now she had the most amazing little boy and Andre was such a wonderful father. She wasn't sure if Beck was ready for all of that. He had such big dreams. She didn't want to be the one to keep him from all of that. _

_Jade found her sobbing into her pillowcase an hour later. _

"_Cat? What wrong?" Cat never cried, it annoyed the raven haired girl to see the redhead so peppy all the time. Now the sounds of her sobs were breaking the Goth's heart. She was glad she decided against bringing Logan today. She loved her son, but she had been planning a girl's day with Cat._

"_J-Jadey?" Cat hiccuped though her pitiful sobs. She didn't remember starting to cry, but she was just so overwhelmed._

"_What's going on?" The taller girl asked, she climbed into the bed and laid beside her best friend._

"_I'm..." Cat broke off, she couldn't bring herself to say it out loud._

_Jade knew that tone, she had used it nearly two years ago. She understood the feeling of the world closing in on you. "Pregnant?" she finished for her friend._

_Another round of tears burst forth and Jade drew Cat into her arms. She rubbed her back in comforting way until the tears faded. "Have you told Beck?"_

_The tiny redhead pulled away, she shook her head and began wiping her tears away. She would have been so embarrassed if anyone other than Jade saw her like this._

_Jade gave her a smile. "You know that boy will be over the moon." It was true. Everyone had seen the way Beck looked at Logan, he would make a wonderful father._

"_What about his career?" Cat squeaked._

_The other girl smoothed down her distraught friend's wild hair. "If Beck chooses a career over you and that baby it's his loss. But I am sure you are safe."_

_Cat felt better after her talk with Jade, her best friend always had a knack for making her feel so much better. After the other girl left, the bubbly redhead prepared to tell her boyfriend of nearly four years he was going to be a daddy._

_By the time Beck arrived that night, Cat could hardly contain herself. All of her fear had been replaced with pure excitement. She couldn't wait to see the excited look on his face when she told him._

_She nearly tackled him when he walked through the door. He caught her small body with ease and laughed lightheartedly as she kissed him all over his face. "Geez, Kitty, I missed you too!" he joked as he sat her back on her feet. He leaned in and captured her lips in a searing kiss. "I got the best news today!"_

_She giggled. "Me too!"_

"_You first!" They exclaimed at the same time, causing a fit of laughter._

"_No, no, you first Becky! Mine is huge! Trust me, we won't be doing much more this evening after I tell you, if you know what I mean." She gave him a seductive wink."_

"_Why? Did they finally come out with yet another Lady and the Tramp movie?" he teased, he poked her stomach, she only giggled and swatted his hand away._

"_Come on! Tell me! Did you bring me candy?" she bounced up and down excitedly, she loved surprises, "Oh! Did you get me a puppy?"_

_He laughed heartily. "No, nothing like that, babe. Do you remember that movie I auditioned for a few month ago?" She nodded, her eyes lighting up. "Well, the lead guy dropped out and they want me! Pack you bags baby! We are going to Africa in four months and we will be there for six! You will get to see the giraffes!"_

_Her face fell. All the excitement left her body. This had been exactly what she had been afraid of. She thought about how far away Africa was and how long six months was, there was not was she could join him! She would be five months pregnant when they left and due during the time they were there! She wanted to have her baby here in Hollywood, where her family and Jade were._

"_Honey? Are you okay?" Beck waved his hand in front of her face, her dazed look was seriously worrying him. She mumbled something under her breath that her did not understand. "Cat? What did you say?"_

"_I'm pregnant" She repeated, slower this time,l she watched his eyes grow wide._

_His face went suddenly pale and he took a step back. That was defiantly not the news he had been expecting. He struggled with what to say. The long it took, the more hurt he could see in her eyes. "P-Pregnant?"_

_Her bottom lip quivered as she nodded timidly, this was not how she expected this to go. He did not look excited or happy, he look...disappointed._

_She made a move forward to put a hand on his cheek, he would not look her in the eye. "Beck?" her voice came out in a low whisper._

_A million thought raced through his head. He had been so excited for this movie and for the opportunity for him and Cat to spend six months together in Africa. His manager told him this was a chance of a lifetime. _

_But if he took it, he would be missing his child's birth._

_But if he chose his child, he would be giving up on all of the dreams he had been working years for._

"_Cat...I"_

_That was when she broke. She knew that tone, she knew his decision. She only put her hand up to stop him. "I get it, okay?" She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, a goodbye kiss. She grabbed her keys and went to stay the night with Jade. The next morning when she returned home, his stuff was gone. _

_Two years later, she went alone to see his movie in theaters, she sobbed the entire time._

**End Flashback**

Cat felt a pang of hurt at the memory she had spent so long trying to repress. She stared down at the atrocious article. She was going to kick Alyssa's ass, they Beck's if she found out he had so much as an inkling about this.

She grabbed the envelope, looking for a clue as to who sent it, a folded letter slipped out. She snatched it up and ripped it open.

Valentine,

Lovely article, don't you think? I personally thing so. Now don't worry that silly little head of yours, it will not be ran as long as you back the hell off of my fiance, understand? Everything was perfect until you and that brat came into our lives. So butt out you stupid whore, we wouldn't want Carter drug into this mess now would we?

XOXO, Alyssa

"Such an eloquent writer," Cat muttered as she slammed the letter on the table. "Stupid Bitch."

**I hope you liked this chapter, also I have decided to up the rating to 'T' mostly for swearing. Sorry if that bothers any of you!**

**HopeFaithandGrace: Thank you my love! You are wonderful and I hope this update was up to par!**

**Gary the Snail x3: Thank you! (Great name)**

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**ChasingMidnight: Remember, no head explosions**

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**Fallspring99: Thank you so much! It means so much when reviewers say that!**

**Brokenwingsz: I love new reviewers! And I cannot wait to read your story!**


	17. Chapter 17

**First and foremost, I want to thank the wonderful ChasingMidnight for coming up with the idea for what the nasty Alyssa is about to pull. (Go read her story "Lost in the Butterflies" it is AMAZING!) I am not sure how it is going to turn out, so just hang in with me and give me all of your ideas and feedback and I will take them all into consideration! **

The New Normal

Chapter Seventeen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 17

Cat was not a violent person; she would much rather think of herself as a pacifist. Blood made her queasy, even the fake stuff in movies. Violence was never the answer. At least that is what she always believed until now. She wanted nothing more than to beat the living daylights out of a certain blonde movie 'star,' if that is what one could actually call her.

How dare she threaten her? How dare she threaten to bring her son into this mess? He was only a toddler! There were was no way he would ever be able to comprehend cameras following him around and flashing in his face, and people shouting his name, he hated crowds.

She debated whether or not to bring of this nonsense to Beck or not. Surely he had people who could bring the ignorant woman down and protect her son, but something told her that would most likely make things much worse. She couldn't tell Jade or Andre either. The couple already had Logan and Aria to worry with, she really needed to stop bogging them down with her own problems.

She wanted to scream and throw something, she had never felt so helpless. How was she going to stop Alyssa before things got out of hand?

"Mommy?" Carter's sweet voice called from behind her, he sounded frightened.

She whipped around, brushing away tears as she went, she did not want to scare him anymore than he already was. "Hi, honey!"

"You, okay?" he asked quietly, he had been watching her from the corner, she seemed very upset. He did not like it. He watched as she shoved something inside of a drawer to keep him from seeing it, he would have to remember that later.

"Of course, honey!" her voice sounded funny, like she was trying too hard to sound happy. "Why don't you go play?"

He gave her a look. He did not want to go play. He wanted to stay here and make her feel better. The small boy stepped farther into the room and wrapped his tiny arms around her legs. "Please don't be sads Mommy, I am here."

He heard her make some sort of weird crying noise. Suddenly he was in her arms and her head was buried in his shoulder. She kept saying over and over how much she loved him and how she would always protect him. Silly mommy! He already knew all of that! He wondered if Daddy was making her cry like this again, he loved Daddy, but he hated when he made Mommy cry.

"Let's watch Alice." he told her, he knew she liked that movie, he liked The Jungle Book better, but Alice always made Mommy laugh, he loved Mommy's laugh.

She pulled away and gave him a smile through her tears. "Alice? Okay, baby, let's watch Alice." She kissed his head and carried him to her bedroom.

Two days later, Beck was getting beside himself. It seemed the passed was repeating itself. Cat was not returning his phone calls and he had not seen his son in nearly 72 hours. To say he was worried was an understatement.

He wondered if she had seen her bill from Target, it had been a joke and he had fully intended to return the money, but he couldn't imagine her keeping Carter from him over something like that! Every time he drove by her apartment her car was not in its usual parking space.

"Hi Becky." the annoyingly high-pitched voice of Alyssa Vaughn broke through his thoughts.

He cringed inwardly, he had been trying to get rid of her since the day before Thanksgiving, but she was like a bloodsucking leach, and was still hanging around, constantly making threats. Apparently, he and his manager had underestimated her influence in Hollywood. She was the Goddaughter of two major movie producers and had the ability to have have him blacklisted in a heartbeat. She waltzed around the house feeling pretty smug.

"Alyssa." He greeted coldly, he was not happy she was back from shopping, he had been hoping she would be hit by a bus or something.

The fake blonde leaned in for a kiss. He turned his head at the last second and walked to check his cell phone that had been sitting on his desk one more time. She made an angry sound behind him.

"No call from Princess Cat?" the actress teased harshly.

He ground his teeth to keep from snapping at her, he knew she was just baiting him. Since her return, she had been so nasty and cruel, nothing like the Alyssa he had at one time thought he was in love with. He wasn't sure what had happened in London, but he wasn't a fan.

"Come on Beck! I will model what I got for you at Victoria's Secret!" she grabbed his hand and attempted to pull him away from his his spot in front of his huge cherry wood desk, he did not budge. She released him and pouted. "Beck!"

He looked at her. _She looks so stupid with that pout on her face. _ He thought to himself. There was a time he would have found that same thing adorable, now it made his stomach churn. The very thought of her sickened him.

Suddenly her face hardened. "You really don't want to piss me off, Beck." She spat angrily. "All I have to do is snap my fingers and this is all gone. No one in Hollywood will want you."

He held his tongue. He knew not to speak when she was like this. She was baiting and blowing smoke Honestly, he wasn't sure if she was capable of all she said she could do, but she knew better than to test the waters. He did not want to lose his career.

"Later, Baby." he leaned in and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "I have something to do."

At first seemed appeased, then she glared and shoved him away. "Are you going to see Cat?" She crossed her arms angrily over her chest.

He returned the glare. "I want to see my son, Cat happens to be his mother. She will be there by extension. I can't help that."

"Why can't the kid come here? Is our house not good enough anymore? It's certainly better than that shoebox Cat lives in."

Really, Beck didn't want his son around Alyssa's constant negativity. Besides, she and the boy hated one another, she only wanted him to come over because it bother Cat for him to be around her, not that he disagreed.

"I haven't heard from her in a couple days. I was supposed to keep him yesterday, but she never called to confirm like usual."

"Maybe we should take her to court. With our money, we could get full custody." She sidled up beside him. "It might be nice to have the little tyke running around here all the time."

Beck's head was spinning. What was she saying? She hated Carter! She was only saying those things to make him stay and to hurt Cat.

"I am not taking Cat's son away from her." He ripped his arm out of her grip.

Her face dropped. "Why? She kept him from you for nearly three years."

The man rubbed his temples at a bruising pace. "Alyssa, just _shut up._ You don't know anything!" He stomped out of the room. He had to get rid of Alyssa before she destroyed everything he had worked for.

**Sorry if this is all over the place, I was writing it while watching 'Mamma Mia!' I was a little distracted! **

**This chapter, I must say, isn't my favorite, but I just wanted to write that Alyssa is playing both sides of the field and manipulating both Cat and Beck, I hope it turned out okay! Please review with your thoughts!**

**We finally made it to 100 reviews! Thank you all so much, you don't know how much it means to me! :) I love each and every one of you who took the time to review! **

**HopeFaithandGrace: I am glad you liked the two updates! The flashback was something I had been holding on to for a while and I just needed a place to slip it in! Thank you so much for your kind words, I just hope I don't screw it up! :/**

**JustThatGirl: Yay for being #100! You are amazing! And your review made me giggle! Don't worry, I am a believer in happy endings! ;)**

**Brokenwingsz: Thanks you, I will have to check it out!**

**Luteana: Thank you so much, you don't know how much that means to me! **

**batzevieforever: Thanks!**

**Corton13: Thank you for reading my story! I hate that the show is ending! :( But I am glad Ariana Grande (Cat) has her own show coming up!**

**SweetStarre123: Soon...or not... ;)**

**EmLovesBat: I always try to add some little Carter part, I just love writing him. I love seeing things from his eyes, Cat is like a goddess in his eyes, she can do no wrong. And thank you for liking the flashback! :)**

**CourtsxBatFan: I loved writing the memory! But I was like man, I want them to stay together! LOL, Sadly, Alyssa is sticking around. She is going to be driving everyone mad! **


	18. Chapter 18

**I am going to be honest, I am on the fence with this chapter, but I wanted to post it and get it out of the way. I am still trying to figure out what direction I am going with Alyssa...**

The New Normal

Chapter Eighteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 18

"Why am I keeping him again?" Jade asked as she sleepily allowed Cat to carry Carter into her house at six am. "Not that I mind, but where is his _father?"_ She gave a huge yawn, she was not used to getting up this early, Logan didn't rise until at least 7 and she just about had Aria trained to do the same.

"Beck is...busy." Cat replied as she laid her sleeping son in Aria's pink playpen.

Jade wasn't stupid, even in her nearly half asleep state she could easily tell when her best friend was lying. "Busy, huh? In the months that he has been back he has never been too busy to keep his son, hell I've wondered if he's given up acting a few times at how 'unbusy' he has been!"

Cat gave her a pleading look. Right now she didn't want to explain everything, she had already decided she wasn't going to worry Jade with Alyssa until she was sure she couldn't handle the situation herself. "He just is, Jade. I have to get to work. I will be by for him at four thirty. Are you sure you don't mind?"

The taller girl could see her friend's eyes brimming with tears. Something was defiantly up. She put a comforting hand on Cat's shoulder. "Of course not! Beck had been hogging him for months! He can help with Aria." She gave the smaller woman a wistful smile that was not returned, it worried her but she chose not comment.

Soon after Cat let, Jade got the family up for the day, like her, Logan was not a morning person. So she sent Carter, who took after his early-bird mother, to get the boy up.

"So did she explain?" Andre asked over breakfast. Logan was practically comatose in his cereal, Carter was talking nonstop, it reminded Jade of the all the times she spent nights at Cat's when they were younger.

His wife shook her head as she shifted nursing Aria in her arms. "Something is up, Cat's never been at secrets. She seems, I don't know, scared or something."

The Harris man's eyes glinted with anger. No one messed with the girl he thought of as a little sister. "Do you think it is Beck?" he whispered, he didn't want the boys at the other end of the table hearing their conversation.

Jade sipped her coffee slowly. Even after the passed few months, Andre was still quick to blame Beck for every little problem in Cat's life. It was much worse after the miscarriage, she didn't even think the two men had even had a real conversation since Halloween. Granted, there were times that Jade certainly agreed with her husband, but Beck was trying and she had to give him that. "No," She told him, "At least not directly, if that makes any sense. Something else is going on here." She was giving Oliver the benefit of the doubt, but she would surely be first in line to kill him if things turned out to be his fault. But, for now, she was not taking sides. She considered it very mature of herself.

Her husband gave her a hard look. He was sure she knew more than she was sharing, but years of experience told him not to push it. He turned to his son instead. "Hurry up, Lil Man, I gotta drop you off at that school before I get to the studio."

Jade smiled as she lifted her daughter to her shoulder for burping. Life was finally going their way. A couple years ago she never would have thought they would be sitting here, or that she would be holding her one month old baby. Andre was working as a music producer for a well known label. She was on break from screenwriting. Her dreams had shifted from being in front of the camera to directing and writing. She found a new passion, but for the time being, she was happy here at home with her daughter.

Later that morning, after she wrestled both Aria and Carter down for naps, she decided to call Beck and see what he had to say about the whole situation.

"Hello?" He answered, his voice held the slightest hint of panic, she really couldn't blame him. It wasn't as if she called him up often just to chat.

"Morning Beck." she greeted in a fake sugary voice, she wanted to have just a little bit of fun with him before they got to the serious stuff. "Believe it or not, I have something that belongs to you sleeping in my daughter's playpen."

"What? Carter is there? Why didn't Cat call me?" She heard shuffling on the other line, this was definitively getting interesting.

"Well, she called me up last night, asking if I would keep him. And me, being the awesome godmother I am, agreed. When I asked about you, she just said you were busy. But, well you know a know blind man can see when Cat Valentine is lying, but she won't tell me anything. So, now I'm asking you: What is going on?" She sat herself in her favorite chair and propped her feet on the coffee table.

"I have no clue! I didn't hear from her for two days, then she texts me last night saying eveything was fine. I asked about Carter, she said he was taken care of." Beck sounded on the verge of panic, Jade wasn't much better off, but she had enough of a level head not to just jump to conclusions.

"Well he is taken care of!" she snapped into her phone. His freaking out was putting her teeth on edge. "Now, I don't know what is going on, so I am going to as you, and I won't judge, just tell me the truth, Beckett, have the two of you had a fight lately?"

She heard him make some sort of odd choking noise on the other line. "No! Jade! We were doing so well! Then she just stopped speaking to me out of the blue!"

The woman rubbed the bridge of her nose. This whole conversation faintly reminded her of numerous conversations she shared with the two of them when they were a couple in highschool and after. Back then she always found it sort of funny she was giving her ex-boyfriend relationship advice, now it was giving her a migraine.

"Think hard, Oliver, " She snapped, "Are you sure you haven't fucked up royally lately?"

"No!" He retorted like a petulant child. "I already told you that! Why? Has Cat said something?"

"I will work on Cat," Jade told him seriously. "You dig deep and figure out what the hell you've done, directly or indirectly." She smashed the screen of her phone to end the call. She shouldn't have even called him, he was completely useless, as usual!

Cat felt like she had spent the last few days constantly looking over her shoulder. She felt like Alyssa was everywhere, she even invaded her dreams at night.

"This is completely ridiculous." the brunette muttered to herself as she gripped the steering wheel on her way to work. She had just dropped Carter off with Jade, she felt awful about it, but she did not feel comfortable with him going to Beck's, not as long as SHE was there.

Since the day the magazine arrived, Cat had been receiving a letter nearly every day, all threatening to 'expose' her and to destroy Beck with varying degrees of physical and tabloid violence. The bitch had even gone as far as to send her son a giant Elmo toy, he had been sleeping in her bed for the passed three nights.

Beck had been calling her nonstop, but she just couldn't answer. She knew the second she heard his voice, she would break down and tell him everything, that was one thing Alyssa warned her not to do. So she sent a text and that was that. She felt like she was going mad.

She tried to pus everything from her mind as she arrived at work. Work seemed like the only place nowadays she could feel free, without the feeling of Alyssa looming over her. Her only care was how her actors were going to look that day. She enjoyed it, though it was a far cry from the big Hollywood dreams she once had. But she had always had a knack for costumes and she was happy to be able to put her talents to good use and make a decent living for her son.

"Morning Cat!" Various members of the crew greeted as she walked toward the wardrobe department. "How is that adorable boy of yours?"

Usually Cat was constantly bubbly and always gushing over Carter at work. Now she felt like she needed to be careful who she even breathed his name to. She made her away to her domain quietly, she just wanted to get this work week over, she was beyond stressed. It didn't make matters any easier that she had been asked to come in nearly three hours earlier than usual.

When she arrived at the door to her 'domain,' as she liked to call it, she was shocked to find it unlocked.

"I know I locked you yesterday." She said aloud in confusion. She looked around for someone before going in, something didn't feel right. "Excuse me! Did someone go in here this morning?" she asked the first intern that passed.

"I-I d-don't k-k-kn-know Miss Valentine." the young girl stuttered, obviously worried she had done something wrong.

Cat rolled her eyes, and allowed the girl to skitter off, it would been on her own head if anything was missing from the wardrobe department. She spun on her heel and threw the door opent.

Sitting in the middle of the room, with a very smug smile on her face, was Alyssa. "Hi, Cat," She greeted...

**I am going to end it there, because I am mean, and it is late and I have to work in the AM. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

**HopeFaithandGrace: :) You always do wonders for my confidence! You don't even know! And Alyssa will get hers, I am just planning it out!**

**Fallspring99: Thank you so much! That makes me smile!**

**JustThatGirl: Aww, thank you so much, I am really proud of this story. And you made me LOL!**

**Luteana: Carter is like the perfect kid, I really doubt he would ever exist in real life, lol, but he is a joy to write. And Alyssa will get hers!**

**CourtsxBatFan: I really was just going to write out Alyssa and have a fluffy ride all the way to the end, but ChasingMidnight gave me this idea and I must say, I am enjoying writing it!**

**(Guest) Erin: Thank you so much! :)**

**SpeedofLove: Yeah, Alyssa sucks, and thank you!**

**Sweetstarre123: He did, but can Cat stand up to her? Hmmmm...**


	19. Chapter 19

**What to say about this chapter...most of you will probably hate it...but at this point in the story, I can say that this is the way I envision Cat reacting. She is still CAT after all, she is sensitive, and very lacking in the self-worth department. Just give it a chance!**

The New Normal

Chapter Nineteen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 19

Cat tried not to let it show just how shocked she really was to see Alyssa in her wardrobe department. She knew she probably failed miserably, but she made an attempt to look bored as she sat in her office chair and spoke: "Imagine seeing you here at 6Am, did you have to get out before the sun came up? Afraid you might turn to dust?"

Alyssa scoffed at the dig and made herself busy looking at her perfectly manicured fingernails. "Who knew you were such a comedian, Valentine, maybe you should have taken that show on the road. Coulda paid for something better than that shoebox you and the kid live in now."

Cat swallowed her retort, honestly, it wasn't worth fighting with the blonde. "How did you get in here anyway?" she decided to just changed the subject.

"Paid off the janitor, apparently he is quite the fan." she gave a 'sexy' smile that caused Cat to cringe.

"At least you have one fan, I was beginning to get worried. I mean, how many times can you be snubbed by every awards show before you just give up entirely?" The shorter girl smiled as she watched the actress falter for a fraction of a second.

Alyssa quickly recovered, her face hardened as she shot glared daggers at the smaller woman. "Listen, bitch." She crossed the room until the two of them were inches apart. "I am running this show! What I say goes."

At that, the tiny girl had to laugh, "Who do you think you are, Alyssa?" she stepped away, still laughing at how ridiculous the other girl sounded.

Alyssa, sensing she was beginning to lose her footing, knew she had to get the ball back in her court. "Beck told me." she said in a serious voice, of course she was only saying that. But she was giving Cat just enough rope to hang herself, she just hoped she took the bait.

_Beck told her, what the hell did he tell her?_ Cat gasped, "He told you about the baby?" She clapped her hands over her mother when she saw Alyssa's enraged face.

"What did you just say?" The taller girl thundered, she moved to tower over the petite brunette.

Cat could honestly say she had never been afraid of the other woman physically hurting her, until now. She had known the girl was a bit crazy, but the wild look in her eyes caused her to shrink back in fear. She did not repeat herself, she was not that stupid.

"What baby, Cat?" Alyssa snapped, "And don't say Carter, I am blonde, not stupid."

Mentally, Cat debated whether or not to tell the other girl about her miscarriage. She knew, in the end, it would most likely be used against her. No, she was not going to give Alyssa the satisfaction of yet another thing to use over her. She squared her shoulders and glared up at the taller woman.

Alyssa gave her a hollow laugh. "look at you go, Cat, acting all tough and badass!" She leaned in closer, "Tell me now, did you fuck my fiance?"

Cat cringed inwardly at the harsh language, sure she cursed, but only when she was extremely angry. Hearing it still felt dirty. She decided to remain silent. It's not like Alyssa would physically hurt-

-Slap-

She grabbed her now stinging cheek and stumbled as she saw stars for a moment. "You hit me!" She squealed angrily, she could not believe Alyssa had slapped her!

A menacing smile crossed Alyssa's face. "Now that I have your attention, tell me the truth Cat!"

Hot tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, her cheek stung, her head was a mess. Why was the other woman doing this to her? Why did she want to hurt her like this? A pathetic sob escaped her throat, she skirted around Alyssa, but the other girl was too fast and blocked the door.

"Tsk-Tsk" She teased. "Come on Cat! I honestly thought you had more fight in you than this!" She laughed as she watched Cat attempt to clear the now cascading tears from her cheeks. She shoved her farther away from the room's only exit. "Come on, fight back, Cat!"

By now, the smaller woman was becoming a blubbering mess. She had never been good with confrontation. She just wanted Alyssa to leave, she hated the sound of Alyssa laughing at her, her hands went over her ears. She had to block it all out.

Alyssa continued her relentless teasing, she tore Cat down to shreds and relished in the feeling of the other woman not fighting to defend herself. She mocked every aspect of Cat's life.

"God, now I see why Beck left you!" She droned on, "You are weak and pitiful. He was probably ashamed to be seen with you! I mean, why else wouldn't he have wanted to tell the world about Carter? He is embarrassed _YOU_ are the boy's mother!"

Cat gasped, in her defeated state of mind, she was almost beginning to believe Alyssa. "No he isn't!" She shrieked.

Alyssa's mouth twisted into a smile at the outburst. "Come on, Cat, you know I am telling the truth. I know all about you and Beck's little" she put her hands up in air quotes, "love affair. We laugh about it all the time."

Cat honestly didn't know if she should believe her anymore, surely Beck wouldn't do that to her! _But why else would he still have Alyssa around? _A dark voice in her head asked. _If he was being truthful in wanted to be rid of her, why is she still here?_

That was all it took, the seed of doubt was planted in her mind. She was mentally convincing herself to no longer trust Beck, just like Alyssa wanted.

"You are such a laughing stock, Cat!" the woman chided. "Do you honestly believe he still has feelings for you? I mean, he left you for his career once, obviously he knows what is more important to him."

Cat hid her face in her hands, she could not believe the other woman was having this much of an effect on her, she couldn't remember being this emotional when bullied since highschool. But somehow, everything the other woman was saying was hitting a deep running nerve in Cat. It felt like she was confirming everything that kept Cat awake with nightmares at night.

To be completely truthful, Alyssa had not pictured her little visit today was going as well as it had gone. Cat was sitting in her office chair, sobbing into her hands, muttering something unintelligible under her breath. She smiled in triumph, Cat was so weak. Beck did not need someone like her, she bent down in front of the distraught woman.

"I tried to warn you," She told her softly, she ran her hand gently through the other girl's hair. "I really tried, Beck is just out to hurt you. He just wants Carter. He told me himself."

Cat's eyes snapped up to meet Alyssa's, she found no comfort in the sea-blue eyes, but she found herself hanging on to every word.

"What?"

Alyssa nodded sympathetically. "He wants to take you to court for Carter. And you know he would win, you can barely afford rent, let alone a good lawyer."

No! Cat's mind was racing. _He promised he wouldn't take me to court!_ "What can I do?"

Alyssa shrugged indifferently. "What can you do? Runaway?" She hid a smile as she saw Cat considering the idea.

"I can't just leave!" She argued.

Alyssa jumped to her feet. "I cant help you! I will get rid, I mean help you get away!"

Cat shook her head as she looked at her feet. Alyssa wanted to snap at her, but she restrained, she knew she already won, all she had to do was allow Cat to self-destruct. She put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"When you're ready." She said in the friendliest voice she could muster. "You can come to me." She spun on her heel. She she left the room, she gave one last look towards the seemingly defeated girl. "Bye Cat, it really wasn't nice knowing you."

**Well, what did you think?**

**I once again want to thank ChasingMidnight for listening to me go back and forth over my ideas for this story! You are wonderful! (Go read her stories!)**

**HopeFaithandGrace: Thank you, I really wanted a chapter with the Harris family present, just so we could get a glimpse at their lives. I hope you liked this chapter!**

**CourtsxBatFan: ;) I hope you liked it!**

**ChasingMidnight: Well, I still don't know where I am going, but my foul mood produced this monstrosity! How was it?!**

**KoalaBear95: I am so glad to have a new reviewer! Thank you so much!**

**DirectionerManisha: Thank you, and I probably will if I can come up with a good idea... thanks for reviewing!**

**I also want to thank all of my followers! I don't mention you guys often, but you are very appreciated! :)**

**JessyRae!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hi everyone! I wasn't planning on writing this tonight, seeing as I am supposed to be sleeping...but I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow that I am REALLY nervous about and I can't sleep, so I have decided to write this while watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I tend to watch a lot of musicals if you haven't noticed...lol. My top five would have to be 1. Mamma Mia (I just love Abba, it's a guilty pleasure) 2. Rent (Such a wonderful story!) 3. Little Shop of Horrors (AMAZING and 80s special effects get me every time!) 4. Nightmare Before Christmas (We have a tradition of watching it every Christmas morning) 5. Repo! The Genetic Opera! (Amazing and just genius!) I also love Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, any musical really, except GREASE, I hate Grease, ugh! Sorry for this random A/N but I just wanted to share that little tidbit with you all! (Since we are on our 20th (!) chapter!) What are your favorite movies/musicals?**

The New Normal

Chapter Twenty

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 20

"Cat?" Jade was confused, and not mentioned worried, when she opened the door and saw her best friend standing there just a few hours after she had dropped her son off. She wasn't due back for nearly seven hours! "What's wrong?" She noticed the tearstains on the smaller girls cheeks.

Cat tried to put a bright smile on her face, but she failed miserably and it only added to Jade's worry. "I just got off early, and wanted to get Carter." The brunette would not look her in the eye.

Jade ushered her friend inside. "He is asleep, there is no sense in waking him up, you know how cranky he gets. Come in here and tell me what is wrong." She steered her away from the living room where the small boy was sleeping.

Cat was not about to tell her best friend what had happened with Alyssa, it had taken her nearly thirty minutes to pull herself together enough to walk out of the wardrobe department. She had snuck past all of her co-workers and sat for another two hours in her car, just sobbing pathetically.

Her mind was still reeling from everything the other girl had said. She could not believe the way she had reacted, it was like Alyssa had been able to play her like some sort of instrument. She fell for everything, just like the dumb girl she had been in high school. She was disgusted with herself.

Faintly, she thought about Alyssa's parting offer. She was going to help her leave, get away with Carter before Beck could take her son away from her forever. She knew it had to be some sort of trap, but she still could not help considering it.

"Come on, Cat, tell me what's wrong."

Cat forced another smile to her face. "Just a bad day at work." She walked forward and threw her arms around her best friend. For a moment, Jade was stunned, but she recovered quickly and wrapped her arms protectively around her dearest friend.

The moment Alyssa arrived back home that day Beck was suspicious, she waltzed into the living room, smiling like the cat that ate the canary. He was about to ask her what was up, but thought better of it, he was still going over his phone conversation with Jade.

He was so worried about Cat. What had possibly gotten into her this time? The gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach, told him it was something quite serious.

"You left early this morning." Was his greeting as she tried to snake passed his office.

She jumped when he spoke, she had obviously not been expecting him to be around this morning. She spun around and gave him a fake smile. "I had somewhere to be?"

"At six in the morning?" He went on, he didn't even look up from his morning newspaper. He chuckled under his breath as she tried to skitter off without answering. "I asked you a question, Vaughn."

She turned around quickly. "That is none of your business."

Suddenly angry, Beck slammed his newspaper down on his desk and stalked toward the starlet. "I think it is. You are in my house, remember, you chose to be here, without my permission and you choose to stay here, even after I have told you numerous times to get the hell out, now, I ask you again. Where did you go this morning?" He was standing inches away from her. He liked how she was slightly cowering in fear. _She deserves it after everything she has done._ He thought to himself.

"I had a meeting." She smiled sweetly at him. She wondered briefly if he knew the truth. "I wanted to be on time."

Beck gave her a nonbelieving look. "Whose life were you off ruining today, Alyssa. Not that I minded the break from you screwing with mine. The house was actually quiet without the sound of your damn high heels clicking around all over the place."

She glared at him. "If I bother you so much, why don't you get rid of me?" She ran her hand down his chest in a 'sexy' manner, he was not tempted in the least.

He pulled her hand away. "Don't worry your pretty little fake blonde head, I would love to be rid of you once and for all, but the way it stands, you are trouble, and by having you here, at least I am able to keep an eye on you part of the time."

That was not an answer she was happy with. She was not here to be his second choice! He was supposed to be falling in love with her again! No keeping her around so he could watch her like a misbehaving child! She ripped her hands away from him and pulled away.

_How had the tables turned on her so quickly? _Just moments ago she was basking in her glory of her defeat of that stupid half-wit Cat, now Beck was pretty much telling her he was out of the game.

"What's that supposed to mean!" She shrieked angrily.

"Don't say that!" He yelled back, he shook her by the shoulder. "God, Alyssa, why are you ruining everything? I was finally happy! Then you came back!"

There was a glint of hurt in the woman's eyes, for a moment, it almost made him feel sorry for her, but he shook the feeling quickly. "What? Now you have nothing to say? You've been doing a hell of a lot of talking over the passed few days. It's all fun and games when the ball is in your court, but you can't stand for the other team to have a chance to score." He ran a hand through his hair and took a seat at his desk. He motioned for her to sit across from him.

"I am only sitting because I want to." She told him stubbornly, she sat on the edge of the seat, so if she needed to make a quick exit, she may be able to beat him to the door.

"You are a child." He shook his head as he grabbed his phone and checked to see if Cat, or Jade had called him. He still couldn't believe she allowed his son to go over there without asking to see if he would keep him first.

"Have you met Cat? No wonder that kid of yours likes her so much, they have the same mentality."

He stopped scrolling through his phone. Why hadn't he thought of it before? His head snapped up to meet Alyssa's. "Cat? Cat...Alyssa have you been talking to Cat?"

**Yeah, I didn't like this chapter, I was a bit distracted and I didn't know how I wanted this to come out. Sorry this chapter wasn't better...**

**I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have favorited and put this story on your alerts! **

**HopeFaithandGrace: Lol at the Lion King! And thank you for your constant support!**

**SweetStarre123: Thanks for the review, I hope you don't hate me for that chapter!**

**DirectionerManisha: I got your review! No worries! I would die if Cat and Beck got together! But that will never happen :( Thanks for the review!**

**Luteana: Alyssa will get hers, I think Beck has caught on! **

**TheSpeedOfLove: Thank you so much! I love reading your reviews! They make me smile!**

**CourtsxBatFan: Thank you so much! :)**

**ChasingMidnight: Thank you! I am glad it made sense, it doesn't to me, but you are the one whose opinion matters! :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**Hi All! I meant to post this sooner, but I really didn't know where exactly I wanted to go with this chapter! So I decided to just go with the flow and see where it takes me, I can't sleep again, it's 4AM here and I am watching The Great Mouse Detective on NetFlix (Did you know the great Vincent Price is the voice of Ratigan?!) , I used to be in love with this movie and I am going through a period of childhood nostalgia now that Disney and Netflix have their little contract together! (Yes, I am VERY odd, I am sorry!) **

The New Normal

Chapter Twenty One

**Disclaimer: I don't own Victorious **

Chapter 21

Beck was gripping the steer wheel so tightly his knuckles were turning white. His jaw was set, and he barely paid attention to the road as he sped towards Jade's. His mind went over the passed few hours.

How dare Alyssa speak to Cat? What right did she have to go filling the poor woman's head with poisonous lies? He knew how fragile Cat's state of mind was, especially after the loss of the baby. She tried to hide it behind a brave face, but she lived in constant fear of losing everything, and everyone, she held dear. Now Alyssa had gone and used those fears to her own advantage, and by the way Jade made it sound over the phone, he had messed up his Cat pretty good.

_Flashback_

"_Cat? Cat..Alyssa, have you been talking to Cat?" Beck demanded. He mentally kicked himself for not seeing it before. It completely explained why Cat had been pulling away from him all of the sudden._

_She gave him a half-smirk and shrugged her shoulders in a non-committal way. She tried to make herself look innocent. "No, why?"_

_He glared at her, he knew she was lying, she was not that great of an actress. "Alyssa." He warned in a mild voice. He tired to keep his voice even, he knew if he lost his head they would get no where._

"_Come on. Beck, why would I speak to that air-headed idiot? She certainly has nothing I currently want." She stood from her chair and sauntered out of the room._

_He was just about to follow her and demand the truth when his phone rang. He snatched it off the desk and pressed it to his ear._

"_Jade? I just talked to you thirty minutes ago. This better be important, I am dealing with something over here."_

_He heard her scoff angrily on the other line. "Get over here! I can't calm her down!" the woman on the line snapped._

"_Aria? Jade, how in the world would I know how to calm your baby down?" He replied stupidly._

_He heard her audibly groan. "Not Aria! Cat! Idiot, she came in a while ago, she keeps crying and saying 'Alyssa,' If that bitch did something to her, so help me I am going to snap her neck!"_

_He was stunned into silence for a second. _What had Alyssa possibly done to her to make her so upset?

"_Get over here, Oliver!" Jade snapped, she ended the called before he could reply._

_For a long moment, he stood there dumbly. He debated going upstairs and getting the truth out of Alyssa, but the bigger part of him needed to go to Cat. He grabbed his keys and rushed out of the house._

_End Flashback_

He pulled into the West-Harris house. He was sure he had broken every possible traffic law on the way over. He jumped out of the car before putting it in park, he quickly jumped back inside and heard the gears grind painfully, at the moment he didn't care. He rushed inside, not even bothering to knock.

"Finally! God, Beck, what took you so long?" Jade appeared from the kitchen holding Aria, she looked flustered. It was very un-Jadelike.

"Traffic, and road construction." He answered absently, he tried to look around her for Cat.

"I put her in my room, Carter will be awake soon, I don't need him seeing her like that." She told him, her face softened. "Go talk to her, something is obviously wrong, you are probably the only one she will listen to right now.

He knew that if Jade was this upset, obviously Cat's currently state, whatever it was, had hit her hard. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder before climbing the stairs. After finding every room, except for Jade and Andre's, he opened the last door at the end of the hall and found Cat curled up on a window seat, staring blankly into the back yard. For a moment, he just stood there and took her in. She look so fragile and young. He could see tears on her cheeks, it broke his heart.

"Kitty?" he called out in a soft voice, she jumped slightly.

"What are you doing here?" her voice was hoarse and slightly scratchy from all of her crying, so her question did not came out as harsh as she had intended.

Beck walked forward and sat on the other side of the window seat, she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, she was trying to make herself as small as possible.

"Cat, tell me what's wrong." he asked her gently. "I'm worried, so is Jade. I hate to see you this upset."

Cat stared out the window again, she used to have a seat like this her house growing up. She spent most of her time there when she had been hurt or upset.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She whispered, she wouldn't even meet him in the eye.

For a moment, he was confused, what was she talking about? "Cat?"

"Was it all some sort of joke? Was I a joke to you?" She asked, her voice broke painfully.

Now he was horrified, how could she think that? _Oh right, Alyssa._ He moved closer to her and tried to catch her eye. "No, Cat, you are no joke, not to me." he said it with as much conviction her could muster.

She looked up at him, her eyes searched his desperately. She suddenly felt like she had lost the ability to tell if he was lying to her or not. She wanted to trust him, but she was so afraid of all of the things that she had been told that morning. She was afraid to trust him.

"I don't know what Alyssa said to you," He told her, "But I can tell you, it was all lies. Alyssa is a miserable and jealous woman. She wants to hurt you to make herself feel better."

Cat sniffed pathetically, her lower lip trembled as she tried her hardest to hold back tears. "She said you two laughed at me all the time. And that you just wanted to gain my trust so you could take Carter away from me." Now she couldn't hold the tears back, they burst forth like a broken dam. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed until her chest began to hurt.

His heart broke at the sound of her body wracking sobs. It was literally causing hims physical pain to see her in this much pain. His stomach felt like someone had sucker punched him, his chest ached as if his heart were actually breaking into millions of tiny pieces. Tears began to trace down his own cheeks _How dare Alyssa._

He reached out and pulled her to him, she stayed tightly curled in her protective ball. "Please, Cat," he pleaded desperately, "Listen, that is all lies, stupid lies."

She pulled away from him and looked up at him. "How do I know you are telling me the truth? If you are tying to hurt me, Beck, you have succeeded."

That rocked him to the very core. "Cat, I do not want to hurt you. I have never wanted to hurt you. Yes, I was selfish, but the only thing I want for you is to be happy!"

"Please don't take Carter away from me! He is the only thing I have left! You don't understand what it feels like!" She whimpered.

"No!" He cried, it was a bit harsher than he intended, but it gave the desired effect, her head snapped up. Without another word, he grabbed her face and pressed his lips against hers.

For a second, she was shocked and unable to move, but slowly and surely, she began to kiss him back. Somehow, all of her fears began to melt away. How could she have possibly doubted him? Beck had never been anything but truthful with her. She allowed her hands to tangle in his hair as she pulled him closer to her, she never wanted to let him go.

They pulled away when air became a necessity. Their cheeks were rosy and their breaths came in quick pants. They looked at one another and began to giggle.

"I'm sorry I doubted you." She whispered as she peppered his face in more kisses, she never wanted this moment to end.

He chuckled as he pulled her away softly. "I understand, but you really have to start trusting me once and a while, Kitty."

Her face grew hot, she leaned forward and captured his lips once more. "I'll defiantly work on that."

**I was going to go a different direction with the whole 'Alyssa' thing, but I thought this was better, I am sorry if this does not make sense, as I said, it is well now 5AM and I am TIRED! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter :)**

**HopeFaithandGrace: Thank you! I hope this chapter was up to your standards. And I love My Fair Lady. Audrey is WONDERFUL, but one of my biggest things about that movie is that she wasn't allowed to SING in it! They dubbed her voice in all but one or two songs, it really takes away from the movie if you ask me, Funny Face is probably my favorite Audrey musical!**

**Sweetstarre123: We will get to Alyssa soon!**

**Fallspring99: I hate her too, I am ready for her to be gone, so much negativity! :)**

**JustThatGirl: Annie! I love Annie! I haven't seen it in so long! Thanks for the review!**

**Luteana: Cats...honestly I have never heard any of the music or seen it! :( I would be open to the experience definitely but just never had the opportunity! Thanks for the review! (The Doctor's appointment went well, I just HATE needles!)**

**CourtsxBatFan: Thanks! **


	22. Chapter 22

**First and foremost, I would like to apologize for my complete lack of updating...my family had gone through a rough patch and Christmas was a bit fractured for us...I have just not had the will or inspiration to finish this chapter, and I am terribly sorry if it does not make up for my lack of updating! **

**On a second note, we have about a foot of snow outside! That is extremely rare in my neck of the woods! I just want to say, it no where near as fun as it was when I was a child! (Yes I still built a 'snowcouple' with my brother) But having to drive on it to get to work is AWFUL! And we have more coming tonight! Ugh! (At least I am off until Monday!)**

Chapter Twenty-Two

**The New Normal**

Disclaimer: Last time I checked, I did not receive the rights to 'Victorious' for Christmas...

Chapter 22

When Carter woke up from his nap, he felt like something was wrong. Aunt Jade kept walking back and forth across the living room, all while shooting nervous glances up the staircase. He was confused. Was someone hiding up there?

"Jadey?" He called from the playpen. He had grown tired of watching her pace back and forth, and was more than ready to get out of the 'cage.' He knew better than to climb out of it, though, that had led to many time-outs. Carter did not fair well in timeouts. There was nothing worse than being quiet and still for five whole minutes!

Aunt Jade jumped when he called to her. She tried to put on a smile, but the small boy could see it was not real. "Hi, Bucket, did you have a good nap?" She asked as she approached the pink playpen.

The boy, who was always cheerful after waking up, gave her a gigawatt smile.

"You are just like your Momma, Bucket, just a bucket full of sunshine! I don't get how you can be so peppy and smile when you first wake up." She mused, she lifted the small boy into her arms and kissed his rosy cheek. "At least you have a pretty smile."

He giggled, he was pretty! He was handsome. That's what Mommy told him. He wiggled until she lit him out of her grasp.

"Stay downstairs okay." She told him seriously. Across the room, Aria had begun to cry and her attention was taken from the boy.

Her childish curiosity piqued at once. Why was he suddenly not allowed upstairs? He could climb the stairs all by himself and usually Aunt Jade didn't mind him playing in Logan's room. Usually, she preferred it, something about hating toys littering her clean living room. Mommy called it OCD or something or something else he didn't quite understand yet.

So, he pretended to make himself busy with his stuffed giraffe, Otis. He patiently waited until his Aunt left the room to 'feed the baby,' then he began to sneak up the carpeted staircase.

"Okay, Otis, we goin' on a mission!" he whispered loudly as he got to the top of the stairs without being noticed. It was surprising really, Aunt Jade always caught him and Logan when they tried to steal sweets before dinner.

He held the giraffe tightly under his arm. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he knew he was going to find it.

Quietly, he tiptoed, well quietly for a three-year-old anyway, passed Aria's open bedroom door. Aunt Jade was too busy changing the fussy baby's diaper to notice when he ran face first into the wall. He rubbed his now sore forehead and glared at his stuffed cohort, as if it here somehow his fault.

As he crept down the hall, he opened every door and looked inside, nothing looked strange or out of place. When he came to Aunt Jade and Dre's room, he paused before opening the door. This room was usually off limits. Especially after he and Logan were caught jumping on the bed with their shoes on. He debated whether or not it was worth going inside or not, until he heard a voice.

"Mommy?" he gasped to Otis, he flung the door open and was greeted with a shock.

Mommy and Daddy were kissing! "Eww, Mommy!" he called as he ran across the room and climbed between the two.

Beck's face flushed hot as his son caught him making out with Cat. He suddenly felt like a teenager being caught by his parents again. Cat only giggled and snuggled the boy close.

"Eww? Why was that Eww?" she teased him by tickling his side lightly.

He shrieked in delight as he fought from her grasp. "Betause! Kissing is gross!"

His parents both laughed deeply. "I don't think kissing is gross. I like kissing!" Beck teased his son. To prove his point, he leaned over the boy and kissed Cat once more.

"Me too!" Cat went on. "Besides, you like when I give you kisses!" She bent down to cover her son's face in kisses.

As his childish squeals of happiness filled the room, Beck could not think of any better sound than him and Cat laughing together. He had missed it so much over the passed few days. For a moment, he just leaned back and watched the scene before him. Cat pulled Carter into her lap and tickled him. It was so nice to see them so happy and care free. For just a moment, Alyssa wasn't ruining their lives and the sins of his past weren't hanging over his head. For the first time, he felt like they were a real family.

"Is Mommy going to be happy now?" the boy suddenly asked innocently. The question made his parents freeze.

Cat's face heated up in embarrassment. Leave it to Carter to tell her secrets to Beck. The last thing she wanted him to know was how upset she had been in these passed few days.

Beck shot her a look, but she shook her head. _Not now._ She pleaded with her eyes, they were all so happy right now, she didn't want to ruin it.

"You know what buddy?" Beck plucked the small boy from Cat's lap and sat him in his own. "I promise, from now on, I am going to do my best to make sure your Momma is never, EVER, sad again. How does that sound?"

Carter let out a high-pitched squeal, one that Beck was sure burst his right eardrum, he stood in his father's lap and threw his arms around Beck.

"Easy there tiger."The man grunted as the boy's foot slipped to a more 'sensitive' area. Cat giggled.

The woman threw her arms around the two of them. "How could I ever be sad with two strong men like you protecting me?"

**This chapter REALLY didn't turn out like I wanted, but as I said, I wanted to give you SOMETHING showing I hadn't given up on this story! I had not really realized just how long it's been since I updated! But now the things with my family are at a place where they are stable, jail-cells are stable, right? And hopefully I will be able to finish out this story and begin my work on the sequel I have floating around in my head! **

**I love you all!**

**(And to anyone effected by this winter weather that has just taken over pretty much most of the U.S. Stay safe and warm!)**

**HopeFaithandGrace: I am glad you liked the chapter! And than you for saying my characters are one dimensional! I worry about that a lot! Sometimes it is why I don't involve just a whole bunch of different characters! (So I can focus on making the ones I have more 'real') And anything Audrey Hepburn I LOVE! I have a huge poster of her over my bed! And so many of her movies, but my all time favorite is Roman Holiday!**

**CourtsxBatFan: Alyssa is just about out the door! This story is (sadly) almost over!**

**SweetStarre123: :)**

**KoalaBear95: Thanks!**

**Fallspring99: Sorry it took so long to update!**

**Digidestend Angel: Thanks!**

**ChasingMidnight: My phone refused to give me updates like it used to as well! **

**PLL and Victorious RULE: I made little Carter the star of this one chapter for you! I love writing him! I have two nieces that age and I try to base him off of them!**


	23. Chapter 23

**I am very sorry for my lack of updates on this story, I just have lacked the inspriation for it lately! (Things have not been fluffy-go-lucky lately!) But now I am on day two, or three, of my self imposed isolation due to being sick (Netflix has been my only friend) and I am DETERMINDED to write this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing! :(**

**The New Normal **

**Chapter Twenty Three**

When Cat finally confessed to Beck all of what Alyssa had been doing to her over the passed few days, he was furious, no, better yet, he was absolutely _livid. _It was one thing for the girl to mess with him and his career, it was entirely different for her to go after Cat and his son.

"I am going to take care of this immediately." The Canadian said as he stood from his family and grabbed his phone from his pocket.

"What can you do?" Cat asked, she lifted her son onto her hip, neither were comfortable with the sharp tone in Beck's voice. "Why don't we leave it? Just get her out of your house and we can go back to being happy again."

Beck took a deep breath, Cat didn't understand. She didn't get that he needed to protect them from Alyssa. Sure he didn't figure she was actually capable of physical harm on any of them, but he was not one to take any sort of chance.

The petite woman grabbed his arm gently, her big brown eyes pleaded with him. "Come on, we just found a happy place. Let's just go to my place and enjoy this moment, please? I just want to be with the people I love, and be happy for once, before all the questions and accusations come out."

He softened considerably, he got it. Cat did not like confrontation, and from what she told him about her run-in with Alyssa earlier that day, she had definitely met, and surpassed, her quota for a while. Just looking at her, he could tell she was still at her wits end. He leaned in and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Sure babe, I could use some family time." He did not mention the fact that she had just said he was someone she loved, part of him feared he had only imagined it.

As Jade watched the small family come down the staircase, she could see a shift in their dynamic. Beck walked with his arm at Cat's waist. Cat showed no sign of discomfort or displeasure, she wore a content smile on her face, they all did. Jade had to admit she was happy for the change, it was about damn time.

"There you are, Mister Bucket, I was looking for you," she focused on her godson, she did not want to embarrass her friend, at least not yet, she would wait until she had had less of a trying morning before getting to that. "I thought I asked you to stay downstairs?"

The boy blushed as he hid his face in Cat's shoulder. Beck stepped up for the defense. "Come on Jadey, when have you ever been able to get an Oliver man to listen to you?" he shot her a conniving smirk.

The woman laughed, but chose not to continue the conversation, for ever, she did not want it to end up awkward, that would only come back to bite her in the end. "You two just run along and don't call me Jadey, Oliver," she opted, she said nothing more, just walked off towards the kitchen.

The small family did nothing over the next couple days except spend every possible moment together. Beck had called his manager, PR guys, lawyers, and anyone else he could think of in order to finally be rid of his 'infected limb' forever. With all of the evidence they had been able to come up with between the two of them, Cat and Beck were able to garner and pretty enforceable restraining order. They hadn't had to use it yet, seeing as Alyssa had fled the house, presumably not long after Beck went after Cat.

"I can't say I am upset, maybe she finally realized she lost." Cat commented as she made breakfast one morning a couple days before Christmas.

Beck couldn't quite say he disagreed, but he didn't fully agree either. He couldn't shake the feeling that Alyssa was planning something. It wasn't like her to just back down without a fight.

"Beck, please." the tiny woman whispered as she abandoned her cooking scrambled eggs and made her way to sit on his lap. "We are finally in a good place, Alyssa is gone and you can't stop thinking about her."

He wrapped his arms around her as he brought her to him and kissed her lips gently. "You make it sound like I want to be with her, it's not like that. I am afraid of what she is capable of."

Cat groaned. "She is a hundred pound blonde movie star, and not even an action star, what can she possibly do to us? Bore us to death with her terrible line delivery?"

The man before her chuckled, he was definitely lucky that she had given him yet another chance. Honestly, after this last time, he thought it was all over for him. He had been desperate to figure out what exactly he had done wrong this time. Life simply had no meaning for him if Cat wasn't in it.

He wrapped his around her once more. "You are incredibly funny this morning, Miss Valentine, have you ever thought of career in comedy and taking your show on the road?"

Cat giggled. "I have, but I am afraid I would miss the two men of my life too much to leave them."

Beck quirked his eyebrow. "Really? Who are these 'men' you speak of? Am I one of them?"

For a long moment, she pretended to think about his question, a sly smile crossed her face. She shook her head playfully.

He feigned hurt. "No? Who then, pray tell, Miss Valentine."

Her giggles at the silly game they played nearly got the best of her, she fought to compose herself. "Misters Purple and Longneck of course."

With that, Beck tossed his head back and let out a deep laugh. "Really, Cat, I am beaten by a pair of giraffes?"

She giggled childishly. She leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on his lips. "Never, Mister Oliver." He pulled her closer as he deepened the kiss. The kiss began to escalate quickly, until a tiny voice interrupted.

"What's that yucky smell, Mommy?" Carter asked sleepily from the doorway.

Cat lept away from Beck and raced to the stove. "Oh shit!" She squealed in dismay, "the eggs are burnt!"

Beck couldn't help but laugh as he watched her desperately try to salvage the blacked eggs. He lifted his son to his lap. "That is why your Mommy is not a chef, buddy."

The woman sent him an angry glare, but said nothing. She was sure all her retorts were definitely not 'Carter approved.'

After watching her struggle for a few moments in attempts to salvage the ruined breakfast, Beck stood. "How about we go out for breakfast? The smell of burnt eggs is doing nothing for my appetite and I will not punish my poor son with your cooking." He sent her a smile.

Childishly, she stuck her tongue out, but she had to agree, her big 'special' breakfast was beyond ruin. She tossed the blackened skillet into the sink, then grabbed Carter from his father.

"We will go get dressed," she told him, "You clean that up." She ran out of the room before he could respond.

He chuckled to himself as he realized she had, once again, left him to clean up her mess. As he got to cleaning the charred skillet, he stopped. For the first time, he felt as if they were a family. This was such a 'family' sort of thing to do. A husband in the kitchen, wife dressing the children. A soft smile came to his face, he could definitely get used to this new normal.

_**-End-**_

_**I must tell you, I did not plan for this to be the end, but as I was writing the last line, it felt right. As you can see, there are unresolved problems and our ending is certainly left open. I AM planning a sequel. I do not know when it will be posted. (I haven't even began writing it!) **_

_**I want to thank each and every one of you who favorited, reviewed and followed this story. I means the world to me. **_

_**I want to send a major shoutout to ChasingMidnight, without her, I would have probably not finished this story, she listened to my crazy ideas and shared some of her own that made it into this story. If you have not read any of her stories, I suggest you check them out this instant!**_

_**Also I want to specially thank HopeFaithandGrace, who reviewed .CHAPTER and was my very first reviewer. Your kind words mean the world to me and kept me writing! **_

**I also want to thank the rest of my reviewers...(If I miss anyone, I am terribly sorry)**

**TheSpeedofLove, DirectionerManisha, Jayne Rushin (writer of 'My Baby Bear, thank you for a beautiful song), Poppy the Rabbit, ShadowHeart2739, ec4lewis, xxRAINBOWunicornsXX, TheDreamer006, Digidestend Angel, CourtsxBatFan, what do u need me 4, glittergirl2410, ZanyRainbowZebra, Sky Chocoluv, BrownieStick, Bade4lifexxx, EmLovesBat, 2007grace, Fallspring99, sweetStarre123, Luteana, Gary the Snail x3, Brokenwingsz, mewgirl, corton13, JustThatGirl, batzevieforever, KoalaBear95, PLL and Victorious RULE, FlameKat, ImNotThomas, and anyone who reviewed anonymously. **

**You are all wonderful!**

**Until next time,**

**Jessy **


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